DEPORTATION
by Aryea
Summary: Nigel's work Visa is revoked and Sydney comes up with a plan to keep him in the country.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. This story is dedicated completely to Celeste. J. Evans for her unwavering support of my writing. Read, enjoy and review. Thanks!

**CHAPTER 1**

Nigel sat at his desk staring at the letter in his hand and tried not to hyperventilate. What was he going to do? What could he do? She would be furious, he was sure. He'd done everything they asked him, jumped through all their hoops and still he received the notice a second time.

He ran his hand through his hair and glanced towards her office. She had been in a pretty good mood today, of course she was most days. She was a very congenial person most of the time. He did not want to tell her, but he had to tell her. He had a responsibility to tell her, beyond his own panic and sorrow. It was his duty to give her time to find someone else.

He swallowed hard, tried not to crumple the notice in his fist and rose. Better to get it over with. If it was one thing working for her had taught him, it was that it was far to face the music, regardless of the circumstances, then trying to avoid it.

He knocked on her door, watched as she glanced up from the book she was reading, her glasses perched adorably on her nose, and smiled at him.

"Good morning. I didn't see you come in."

"Could I talk to you?"

"Sure." She set her book aside, pulled off her glasses and waved at her chair, only slightly curious when he entered, closed her door and remained standing. He was tense and holding a letter in his hand as if it was a lifeline. "What's wrong?"

"I…Sydney I…I have some…um…bad news."

She rose, concerned. "What is it, Nigel?"

"I…well…it…it seems that there's been…um…an issue with my visa."

"Did someone use it? You can claim fraud, Nigel…"

He shook his head. "Not…not that visa." His fingers went through his hair again and he stepped forward to hand her the notice. "I'm being deported."

"What?" Her eyes widened and she snatched at the letter, skimming over it. "This isn't right. How…" She looked up at him and felt a spike of actual fear shoot through her. "They can't deport you! You work for me. We went through all the right channels and…"

Nigel nodded and dropped down in a chair. "Yes, of course we did, but they do random checks, apparently, and someone there decided that I no longer qualified to work in America."

Sydney perched on her desk in front of him. "Nigel. It's a mistake. I'll call…"

He shook his head, miserably. "I've already called, Sydney. I've spoken to six different people there. I refilled my visa request, provided them with my job acceptance letter, my work statements, my address, everything and…" He indicated the paper that advised he had ten days to report to Immigration for deportation or he would be arrested.

Sydney refused to believe she was going to lose him, her assistant, her best friend. "There has to be a way, someone else we can talk to." Yet she knew that there wasn't. Research was what Nigel was best at and if he said he had done everything he could do, then he had. "Can't you ask for a hearing to prove your right to live and work here?"

"I did," he moaned and hung his head in his hands. "They said they would be sending an investigator at the end of the week, which is tomorrow, to determine if it is needed." He lifted his gaze to her. "Syd, I don't have anything else I can give them. Any more proof that I deserve to stay in this country."

"There must be something we can do." She leaned forward and squeezed his shoulder. "I'm not letting you go, Nigel. We can't give up without a fight."

"You can't fight the American government." He bowed his head again. "What do they expect me to do, hide and become a fugitive or get married to stay in the bloody country?"

"Come on, there has to be…" She paused as his words sank in. "Why not?"

He lifted his eyes to hers again. "Why not what?"

"Get married? People do it all the time to stay here."

He looked at her as if she had gone mad. "Sydney! To start with, it's fraud, and I could be deported _and_ go to jail. To finish, I'm not going to go and marry some woman off the street just to keep my job!"

Sydney rose as she formulated a plan. She'd do anything to keep him with her, pay any price. "Who says it has to be a stranger?"

He stared at her then shook his head. "Sydney, this is serious. I don't know what I am going to do…"

She dropped to her knees beside him and grinned. "Marry me."

"Sorry?" His jaw dropped. "This is hardly the time for jokes!"

"I'm not kidding. If we were married they couldn't deport you, right?"  
He stared at her, appalled. "You…you can't be serious!"

"Hey! Some men would consider me quite the catch!"

"I…no! I mean…it isn't that!" He shook his head. "You're twisting my words. You can't…I can't…" He paused and tried to calm himself. He realized she was doing exactly as he had done when he first got the news, panicking.

"Nigel, we don't actually have to get married. You say this guy is coming tomorrow. We tell him we're engaged, he can't prove we're not, and they won't deport you if you're getting married."

"And if he insists we have to be married?"

She shrugged and ignored the sudden cramp of anxiety in her stomach. "We get married."

He regarded her, fascinated that she would be so selfless on his behalf. He covered her hand with his. "Syd…that's very generous of you, really, but I can't let you do that. Besides, it's completely illegal and…"

"Only if we get caught." She turned her hand over and squeezed his. "It wouldn't be the first time we bent the rules and if it keeps you in the country…"

"But, Sydney! I mean…marriage! It's…it's not possible." He shook his head. "They'd never believe it anyway and…and it…it's just crazy!"

"It's not crazy, Nigel." She rose and started to pace. "We've worked together for almost seven years now, and when you think about it we're probably closer than most married couples are." She turned back to him, convinced now that it was the only way to save him. "It doesn't have to be forever, just until they re-approve your visa. We could pretend for a few months then get in annulled, no harm no foul."

He gaped at her, speechless.

"I'm not going to let some idiot at immigration break us up," she insisted moving back to him, catching his hands and pulling him up to face her. "I need you, Nigel. You're the best assistant, best partner, I have ever had, and besides that you're my best friend. Tougher people have tried to separate us and they failed." She smiled. "The US government is nothing compared to the Gural Nataz, right?"

Nigel couldn't believe what she was offering. He had resigned himself to the idea that he would have to go back to London and look for another job. That he would have to leave Sydney and Karen and the University and all of his new friends in America to start over. He had been miserable and broken hearted about it, but he'd been prepared to accept the prospect, before he had even discussed it with Sydney.

Now, here she was offering to…well, offering herself really, to keep him in the country. He didn't know what to say. Could they actually pull off such a sham or would he be risking not only his freedom but Sydney's as well?

"I…Sydney…" He started to reach out and touch her cheek, then pulled back, shyly and squeezed both of her hands instead. "Thank you. Thank you so much for the…amazing offer, but I can't risk it. If they find out you could lose your job. You could go to prison."

Sydney shook her head. "They won't find out, Nigel." She suddenly pulled him into her arms and held him tight. "You can't tell me you want to go back to London."

"No." He wanted to stay here, with her. Of course he didn't want to be deported. "But, Syd…"

"Then this is what we have to do." She pulled back just enough to look at him. "We can do this, Nigel. It will only be to keep you in the country. If we do have to get married it won't be a real one and it wouldn't be any different than the times we've pretended to be married on a hunt."

"It isn't the same thing!"

"It can be if you let it." She hugged him again, hard. "I won't lose you. Say yes. Say yes, Nigel."

Nigel slid his arms around her, he had little choice really, and closed his eyes as their cheeks touched. "Yes." He had to be mad. They both had to be mad.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. Please review.

**CHAPTER 2**

Nigel was a nervous wreck the following morning when he arrived at the Ancient Studies office and Karen immediately asked him what was wrong. He quickly explained the reason for his stress and the appointment with an investigator.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" she asked, concerned. "How can they deport you?"

"They're the American government; they can do whatever they bloody well want to."

Sydney arrived at the office just at that moment and Karen pounced, outraged. "How can you let him be deported?"

Sydney looked at Nigel, startled. "You told her?"

"I…she…just about the interview, Syd."

Sydney took pity on him, he looked a wreck. "Are you ready for this?"

"Not at all." He slumped in his desk chair and laid his arms and head on his desk. "I haven't slept or eaten since...I don't remember and I feel ill."

Karen immediately moved behind him and started to massage his shoulders as Sydney reached over to ruffle his hair. "We have to stand together on this, Nigel, or it will all fall apart."

"I know," he groaned, both from his predicament and the delicious relief being provided by Karen's fingers He lifted his head off the desk and met Sydney's gaze. "I'm terrified."

Sydney had to admit she had butterflies in her stomach, as well. "Don't be. Just think of it as a hunt, a means to an end, and play the part. Okay?"

Karen frowned at Nigel's distress. "What are you guys going to do?"

Sydney perched on the corner of Nigel's desk. "I'm going to marry him."

Karen gaped at her as Nigel moaned in distress. "You're going to…what?"

"Only if it becomes necessary," Sydney explained holding up her hand. "It's the only way we could come up with to keep him here." She sighed. "And now you'll be an accessory if we're caught. I'm sorry, Karen."

"Screw that! I'd never betray you guys," She glanced down at Nigel, who was quietly thunking his head off the desk. She looked back at Sydney. "But they might not believe you guys are together, I mean…you being his boss and all." She leaned down to put her face closer to Nigel's. "I bet they'd be more likely to believe it if…say…you married a hot young co-worker?"

Sydney hid her smile and tilted her head, knowing exactly where their secretary was going. "Are you trying to say I'm not young and hot enough for him, Karen?"

"Oh no!" Karen straightened. "No of course not, I was just thinking what _they_ might be thinking…Immigration I mean. It might seem more…um…natural if he seemed to fall in love with…well…" She started to smile dreamily. "Someone he already knew who would have no problem showing him mounds of affection and was obviously …smitten."

Nigel lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Who do you know that's so good of an actress?"

Sydney shook at her head at his naivety. He was so hilariously obtuse when it came to the opposite sex, sometimes she wondered if it wasn't all an act to avoid a direct confrontation. Nigel was excellent at misdirection when provoked and she wouldn't put it past him to be deliberately be misunderstanding Karen.

"Me!" Karen began massaging his shoulder's again. "I'd be happy to marry you, Nigel."

"Really?" Nigel dipped his head back to see her and also got a delightful view of her assets in the bargain. "You'd do that for me, Karen?"

"Absolutely!" Karen slid around to perch on his desk in front of him. "I mean, what are friends for, right?" She ran her fingers through his hair. "I can guarantee they wouldn't doubt we were in a relationship." She caught his tie and pulled him forward until her face was only a few inches from his. "And there's _nothing_ I wouldn't do to prove it, Nigel."

Nigel swallowed, hard. "R…Really?" he squeaked in surprise.

Karen leaned even closer. "Oh, yeah."

Sydney had had enough. "Thanks, Karen, but I'll take care of it." She slid of his desk and flicked him in the ear. "Okay Romeo, let's go prepare."

Nigel rose but was still looking at Karen, wondering exactly what her comment covered in the way of proof? "O…okay, Syd."

They entered her office and Sydney closed the door on Karen's pouting face. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?" she demanded.

"What? How? Karen?" Nigel shook his head. "Karen would never hurt me, she's a sweet lovely…"

Sydney tossed her briefcase in a chair. "_I'll_ kill you."

His eyes widened again. "What on earth for?"

"For being stupid enough to let her talk you into marriage, and then letting her have her way with you."

"You make that sound like a bad thin…OOOF!" He gasped when her elbow penetrated his sternum. Damn, he'd been prepared to dodge the slap to the head, not the elbow. He always had a fifty-fifty shot. "That's hardly the proper way to treat your fiancé."

"I'll be a widow much sooner than he thinks if he keeps it up." Sydney dropped into her chair and propped her feet up on her desk.

"Really, Syd. You know I'm only teasing." Nigel took the chair in front. "Karen is a sweet girl, but I would never let her put herself on the line for me like that, no matter what the…perks might be."

Sydney raised an eyebrow. "But you'll let _me_?"

"_You_ offered."

"There will be no perks, Nigel."

"I never assumed otherwise, Sydney."

They stared at each other over her desk and he was the first to break and smile. "Seriously, Syd, what's the plan?"

I thought you were ill?" she smirked. "You're not going to toss your cookies are you?"

"No. Apparently having two generous and wonderful women willing risk jail for me has settled my stomach."

"Good." Sydney laughed. "Now, when is this inspector coming?"

"Around ten."

"Okay, so we've got about an hour and a half to prepare." She pressed her fingers together and looked at him over her desk. "We should stick to the truth as much as possible."

"I agree. The more lies we have to tell the more we have to remember."

"So, we can go with the easiest situation, which is after working together for so many years we just fell in love."

"That would probably be best, but what do we do if he asks for verification? What if he wants to interview other people about us to check for holes in our story?"

"Well…we'll explain the university's policy on fraternization and tell him we were keeping it quiet to avoid any drama."

"Is there a policy. Syd?" Nigel frowned. "Won't that make things difficult if we do have to get married? Will I still be able to work for you?"

She waved her hand at him in dismissal. "The policy exists, but no one really enforces it. I never had issues with my previous assistants when I had…" She paused and cleared her throat. "It won't be an issue." She shrugged. "Besides, the marriage will only be temporary."

"Right." Nigel nodded. "Of course." He thought for a moment. "So…about what Karen said…about making it look real to the investigators. How do we do _that_, exactly?"

"Just go with the flow, Nigel. That's always the best way."

Nigel sighed, it was her way, certainly. "Shouldn't we have some sort of plan?"

"If we plan anything it will seem contrived. Just go along with whatever I say and improvise."

Nigel scowled.

Nigel's hope of only having to fake an engagement quickly became moot when an Immigration officer named Tuttle showed up a short while later and threw a wrench into their plans.

"When are you planning to get married?"

"This summer," Sydney replied as she sat on her office sofa with Nigel's hand in hers, while the officer faced them in one of the office chairs. "I've always wanted an outdoor wedding, so we need nice weather."

"I see." The little weasel of a man jotted something down in his notebook.

"Why… is that bad?" Nigel asked. He was ridiculously nervous and trying not to squeeze Sydney's hand too hard.

"Well, your deportation is set for ten days time. Unfortunately, if you are not married by the deadline, then you will still be deported."

Sydney didn't miss a beat, and turned to Nigel. "Well, honey, I guess we'll have to cancel our booking at the Hawthorn and go for something simpler and sooner."

Nigel stared at her and hoped that his panic didn't show. "S…sooner?"

"Is that a problem, Mr. Bailey?" Tuttle stared hard at Nigel. "I thought you wanted to get married?"

"Nigel's very traditional, so we agreed to wait." Sydney squeezed his hand and smiled at the Immigration Officer. "He's bashful about the wedding night, isn't it cute?"

Nigel blushed, as if on cue. "Sydney!"

Tuttle appeared mollified and almost seemed to grin. "Yes, well…It would certainly help if you did get married sooner." His gaze hardened again. "Assuming you aren't doing this just to keep Mr. Bailey in the country."

Nigel swallowed hard, as fear spiked inside of him, but Sydney pushed forward.

"It took him almost a year to get me to say yes!" she laughed and lightly elbowed Nigel to get with the program. "Right, honey?"

"Um…yes. Yes, she…she was very stubborn about…um…keeping her independence."

Tuttle regarded them, his beady eyes seeing everything, searching for lies and half truths. This wasn't his first experience with immigrants proposing a fraudulent marriage, some people would do anything to stay in the country, and if these two were trying to do the same, he'd find out.

"How long have you been together?"

"Seven years on the seventeenth of next month," Nigel answered automatically.

Tuttle noted it down, only slightly impressed that the Englishman had not needed to think about it and had it down to day. He scowled as he reviewed his paperwork. "That would be when you started working for Ms. Fox?"

"Yes."

Tuttle's gaze zeroed in on Nigel, sensing he was the weakest of the pair. "How long have you been in a romantic relationship?" He raised his finger when Sydney started to answer. "I'd like Mr. Bailey to answer, if you don't mind."

Nigel glanced at Sydney, grateful that her gaze held so much trust, warmth and encouragement. He still couldn't believe she was sitting here, lying to a government official, as if she was just having tea with a friend. What could he say? It was hard to remember a time before Sydney.

"Didn't I tell you he was a sweetheart?" Sydney said to Tuttle and touched her lips to Nigel's in a deliberately loving kiss.

Although, startled by the kiss, Nigel hid it well, it wasn't the first time Sydney had kissed him to provide a distraction, but it was her smile that made him realize he had voiced his last thought aloud.

He ducked his head, appalled, but not before a thought flickered in his head, a wish that she would smile at him that way for real. "I…I mean…um…well it's hard to pin down when we…we…" He moved his hands. "Changed direction."

"Estimate then?"

Again he looked at Sydney for help. "Um…I…" He started speaking at random, just as afraid of going Sydney going to jail as he was of being deported. "She…that is I…it was when I… before she did…before…before we were…um… before I…I told her so I…I mean she…the …"

Sydney stepped in, regardless of Tuttle's instruction. "It just happened, is what he's trying to say." She patted Nigel's knee. "Calm down, sweetie, he has to ask these questions." To Tuttle she said. "He's English, Mr. Tuttle, and a very private person, which is one of the things I love about him; his desire to be discreet, but it's hard for him to discuss personal matters with a stranger."

Tuttle could see that the young man was obviously nervous and seemed to turn to Sydney Fox with a dependency that could only come from being intimate. "Very well, how long would you estimate your relationship has been of a romantic nature?"

Sydney recalled her comment about Nigel's proposal and quickly calculated an appropriate time. "Almost two years." She smiled at Nigel again. "Although I suspect it could be more as Nigel isn't always forthcoming about his feelings, as I've explained."

To Nigel he said. "And what do you love most about her, Mr. Bailey?"

Sydney continued to smile at him and Nigel was lost. How could she expect him to think when she was looking at him like that? He said the first thing that came into his mind. "Her smile." Sydney's smile brightened for real. "Who can think…I mean defend against a…a smile that brilliant?"

Tuttle's lips twitched but he did not comment. Instead, he moved onto a different topic. "Are you currently living together?"

"No."

"Yes."

They looked at each other, then back at Tuttle.

"We planned to officially move in after we were married," Sydney assured.

Nigel added. "And I spend so much time with Syd, it's hard to remember I even have my own flat." That was certainly true, as they were almost always off on a hunt together or here at the office.

"Right," Sydney squeezed his hand, pleased. "We're like two peas in a pod. Nigel always knows what I need before I even have to say anything."

"Do I really?" he asked her, curious, forgetting about the investigator for a moment.

"Sure. You know I can't face the day without my morning coffee, and you always make sure I eat and rest when I need to."

"Well that's only because you get too focused sometimes and you forget to take care of yourself."

She smiled at him. "Because I know you'll take care of me."

"As long as you continue working yourself to the bone you'll need someone to take care of you."

"See?" Sydney smiled at Tuttle. "He's such a mother hen."

"I am not!"

Sydney couldn't resist teasing him. "And he talks in his sleep."

Nigel responded in kind. "As if you could hear me over your snoring!"

"I don't snore!"

"You bloody well do! It's like sleeping next to a freight train."

Sydney gaped at him, shocked and amused. "You could always sleep on the floor?"

"Absolutely not! I never know what's might be crawling around down there. At least in bed with you I know I'm protected."

Sydney laughed and nudged him with her elbow. "Ass."

"Brat." Nigel grinned back at her, then suddenly remembered Tuttle and had the grace to look chagrinned. "Sorry. Um…Was there anything else you needed to ask?"

Tuttle had been watching their interaction closely; they certainly argued like an old married couple. He closed his book, surprised to find himself rooting for both of them, despite his reason for being there. "This will require more investigation." He rose and they stood as well. "I'll be asking some of your friends and colleagues about your relationship…"

"They don't know!" Nigel said quickly and then flushed again. "I…I mean…"

Again, Sydney came to the rescue. "We haven't told many people, it's always harder for people to understand when you work together, you know, policies and gossip and things."

Tuttle seemed to accept this. "I'll still be making some inquiries." He put his notebook in his briefcase. "I'll return within the ten days to discuss a possible postponement of your deportation, Mr. Bailey. However at this time I do not see enough reason for your visa to be renewed."

Nigel nodded, miserably. "Of course."  
"That's not to say that your chances aren't good," Tuttle offered and held Sydney's gaze. "Especially if it can be established that you have a solid, personal reason for being here, as well as a professional one."

Sydney nodded. He was saying that to improve Nigel's chances, they would have to be married before he returned. "We understand."

He stepped out of Sydney's office and they followed. "I have your address on file, Mr. Bailey. Is that where we can find you for any future visits?"

Nigel opened his mouth, but Sydney interceded. "No, we'll be at my place." She glanced at Karen. "Can you write it down for him, please?"

Karen nodded and quickly did so. She handed Tuttle the piece of paper and he placed it in his briefcase.

"Excellent. Well, it was a pleasure meeting you both." He moved to the door, then turned back and looked at Nigel. "May I suggest, Mr. Bailey, that before our next meeting, you find a ring more suitable for Ms. Fox? Perhaps one befitting your… devotion to each other?"

Sydney's composure finally slipped and she glanced down at the ring she had borrowed from Karen that morning, a simple gold ring with a tiny diamond in a white gold setting. It had been Karen's sweet 16th gift from her father one she always wore, but she had been willing to lend it to Sydney for the occasion.

She looked up again and Tuttle was gone. Obviously he didn't completely buy their story, or he wouldn't offer them such subtle advice.

"Syd?"

She looked at Nigel and finally released his hand. "It will be okay." She lightly elbowed him. "And I _don't _snore."

"Of course not." Nigel grinned and rubbed his chest, as she moved to settle at her desk. "You just purr very loudly." He barely dodged the pen she threw at him.


	3. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. Please review.

**CHAPTER 3**

"How about this one?" Sydney twirled in front of him in a knee length, white dress with a flared skirt and a halter top.

"It's lovely."

She scowled. "You said that about the last three, Nigel."

"They're all lovely, Syd," he reasoned and tried to quash his growing annoyance. She'd showed up at his flat at seven thirty that morning with coffee and bagels and insisted on dragging him out to shop with her.

Sydney posed in front of the full length mirror for several, long seconds, then shook her head. "Nope."

Nigel hung his head in despair as she disappeared behind the dressing curtain again. He could still see the lower portion of her lovely legs and her head and shoulders as she pulled the rejected dress off. "Tell me again why I'm here?"

"To help me pick a dress for the wedding," she replied as she pulled her next selection off the hanger against the dressing room wall.

"Isn't there some rule about the groom not seeing the dress before hand?"

She shrugged into the new dress. "It's not a rule," she insisted and fussed with trying to get the dress zippered. "I was going to ask Karen, but she was busy so that leaves you."

"Yay, lucky me."

She tossed him a narrow look and tried to reach the back zipper again. "Shoot!" She pulled open the curtain and walked over to turn her back to him. "Do me up, please?"

Nigel complied without batting an eyelash and watched as she moved towards the mirrors again. She turned this way and that, and then faced him.

"Well?"

"Lovely."

"Nigel!"

"Sydney!" he returned with the same impatience as she. "It looks exactly the same as the last dozen you've tried on."

She turned back to the mirror. "It's not the same. This one has a ruffle at the collar and little pearls around the waist; see?"

"Fine. Is that the one you're going with?" Dear God let her say yes. They had already been to four shops that morning and she still hadn't found a dress she liked.

"I don't know…" she hedged.

"Good God!"

"What?"

"When did you become such a woman?"

"I beg your pardon?" She turned and gaped at him, offended.

"I…I mean…What I meant was…Well…I've never seen you so…so…um…indecisive."

"Nigel. It's my wedding…I can't wear a gunnysack to my wedding…"

"No, of course not, but it isn't…" He looked around and lowered his voice. "It isn't a real wedding, Syd. It doesn't have to be…well…spectacular or anything."

Sydney turned back to the mirror and tried to ignore the slight plunge her heart took. She couldn't help that she wanted to have a nice dress. Regardless of the circumstances, it was her wedding. They weren't having anything fancy, just at a little chapel with a couple of witnesses… Still, she wanted to look nice.

"We….we'll need to take pictures," she reasoned as she made a face at the dress and disappeared behind the curtain. "For proof and…well…We have to at least look like we put some effort into it."

He sighed resigned as a sales lady walked up and smiled at him.

"Trouble deciding?"

"With a capital T," he agreed.

"Oh, shut up, Nigel," Sydney growled as she sorted through the selections she had brought into the dressing room with her. They all looked nice on the rack, she just didn't think they were right for her wedding.

"Is she the bride?" the sales lady asked and he nodded. She patted Nigel's shoulder. "I may have something in the back she will like."

He took her hand, earnestly. "If she buys it I will marry _you_," he promised and she laughed.

"I heard that!" Sydney called, but was also smiling.

She knew he hated shopping and she felt bad bringing him, but her of her friends only Nigel and Karen were close enough to help her choose. She stepped out in a dress she had already tried on and twirled before him, a floor length sequenced white dress. "What about this?"

"You already tried that one."

She smiled, the fact that he noticed proved that despite his moaning, he was paying attention to her selections. "I know. I'm giving it a second look." She twirled in front of him and sashayed back and forth. "Well?"

"It's Lov…Um…very pretty," he amended when she shot him a warning look. "You look very pretty." Please like it too so we could get the hell out of there, he added silently. He wasn't fond of the dress overall, it was far too tight on her and seemed too formal for their needs, but he would say anything for her to just pick a dress and be done with it.

"Really?" She smoothed her hands over her stomach and adjusted her breasts beneath the fabric. "It's a little snug."

"It will be fine."

"I don't, know." She turned back. "Don't you think it's a little formal?"

He slapped his hands over his face. "Whatever you say."

"Damn it, Nigel. A little help here!"

"Help?" he retorted, annoyed. "Sydney, I've been sitting here for…" He glanced at his watch. "The better part of an hour, while you try on every dress in the bloody shop! They're all nice, but you still can't decide. What more help do you want?"

"I want your opinion! I want you to tell me if this is the one or not!" She was startled to feel tears sting her eyes and it infuriated her. "I'm doing this for you, Nigel. The least you can do is be honest and help me find a stupid dress to wear!" She huffed and composed her self as she placed her hands on her hips. "Now, do you like this damn dress or not?"

"Not!" he snapped. "It's horrible and I hate it. Happy?"

She lowered her arms as her shoulders slumped. "I hate it too."

"Then why the devil are you wearing it?"

"I don't know!" She dropped down beside him and rubbed her face with her hands, agitated. "I'm sorry, I know you're bored. I just got caught up in…everything I guess."

"No, doing it properly, at least for the pictures makes sense." Nigel's annoyance immediately melted away. "But, Syd, you look amazing no matter what you wear." He paused and regarded her current garment. "Except in that." When he got the smile he was waiting for he continued. "A new dress or an old dress, you'll still be a beautiful bride."

She smiled at him and took his hand. "Thank you, Nigel."

"Here we are!" the sales lady announced approaching with a gown in a sealed dressing bag. "This just came in yesterday. We haven't even had time to put it out as we only have a limited number." She smiled at Sydney and presented it to her. "Let's see how it looks on you."

Sydney looked at Nigel, asking for permission for one more change and he nodded, resigned. She hurried over to the dressing area as the sales lady set the gown on the inside hook, pulled the zipper down on Sydney's current dress, and then closed the curtain.

"Last one," Sydney called over the curtain as she shimmied out of the dress. "I promise."

He rested elbow on his knee and his chin on his hand, doubting her promise but refusing to comment. He glanced up at the sales lady. "Please tell me it already comes with shoes?"

She laughed and patted his shoulder. "Sorry, we only do dresses here."

He sighed and reconciled himself to multiple shoe stores as well. If she didn't find a dress soon, to hell with being deported, he'd swim back to London.

"Oh…I think this is it!" Sydney exclaimed and stepped out in a beautiful white gown with shimmering silver beneath a layered- knee length shirt and tiny rhinestones across the edge of the strapless bodice and down the center to her waist. "What do you think?"

Nigel's breath caught in his throat and he immediately straightened. "That one," he said, unable to take his eyes off of her as she turned to look at her reflection in the mirror.

"You're not just saying that?"

"No." He rose to stand behind her in front of the mirror, set his hands upon her bare shoulders. "This is definitely the one." He smiled. "Look at you, you're stunning."

She beamed at him in the mirror and turned to face him. "Really?"

"You take my breath away, truly."

"I love it too!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him, hard. She didn't know why, but that was exactly what she needed to hear. She spotted the sales lady, smiling behind them and discretely wiping her eyes. "We'll take this one."

"Hallelujah!" Nigel cried heavenward, even as Sydney nudged him for teasing her.

"Excellent!" the sales lady smiled. "I'll ring it up."

Sydney stepped back behind the curtain to change into her street clothes and a few moments later walked out with the dress in a decorator bag. It had cost a pretty penny, but was worth it.

"Can we get something to eat?" Nigel asked as Sydney opened the back of her jeep and placed the bag inside. "I'm famished."

"You're always famished," she teased as they settled inside the vehicle and she started the engine. "We still need to get shoes and rings." She paused. "And a suit for you."

"I have a suit," he assured and put his hands together as he leaned towards her. "Sydney, I am begging you, please, please do not take me shoe shopping?" When Sydney entered a shoe shop she could be there for days! "Please! No man should have to suffer that, not even if he _is_ marrying you."

"Fine." she huffed and tried to contain her laughter as she pulled away from the strip mall and merged into traffic. "I'll get the shoes later."

"There is a God!"

"But we have to get the rings…"

"I'm hungry!"

"Don't be such a baby!"

"I'm not a baby!"  
"You had breakfast."

"That was near six hours ago!" he protested.

"Oh, good grief!" She signaled and changed lanes. "If I feed you, will you stop whining?"

"At least for an hour or so," he admitted.

"Fine," she grinned. "We'll get the rings…"

"Sydney!"

"We'll get the rings at a place I know," she insisted. "After that, there is a Lone Star across the street so I will treat you to whatever you want."

"Your promise?"

"I promise."

He nodded and settled back in his seat. "Do you have an idea of what kind of rings you want?"

She shrugged. "Something simple," she replied. "And I've made a reservation for Friday at that little chapel down town. Karen and her brother have offered to witness."

"Okay, and we've already filled out the marriage license application, should get that in a day or two."

Sydney nodded and turned right. "Our blood work is up to date, so I think just hiring a photographer and showing up to the chapel and we're done."

It felt odd talking so easily about wedding plans, and yet there they were, doing just that. In a few days time they would be man and wife. Nigel wondered how he would feel once it was all said and done, and then shook away his doubts.

Sydney was a Godsend to do this for him and he would be a good and proper husband, at least as best he could while remaining on the platonic side, and then once he received his visa renewal they could walk away and possibly even laugh about it. They got on well, living together wouldn't be so very different…Would it?

They pulled into an older part of Boston where some of the century old homes had been made into retail shops and businesses. She parked by a Tudor style home and stepped out. "I know this jeweler; we should be able to get a good deal."

"Do they do refunds?" Nigel joked as he followed her into the shop. The room was set up like a parlor, with antique chairs to sit in when doing a personal viewing, as well as glass display cases along each wall.

A tall, polished woman smiled as they approached. "Sydney! Are you here to try on your ring again?" She immediately moved to the display cases on the right. "Is today the day?"

"Your ring?" Nigel asked, even as Sydney shook her head.

"No, Emma, not today." Sydney smiled. "We're looking for a wedding set."

Emma's face brightened and she clapped her hands together. "You're getting married?" She gracefully dodged the rest of the cases and moved in to hug Sydney. "How wonderful!" She smiled at Nigel. "Are you the groom?"

"Um…y…yes."

Emma hugged him too. "That's fantastic!" She moved back to the right display. "Now I know today is the day," she said as she reached in and selected a smaller tray from one of the towers.

"No, Emma," Sydney insisted. "Just…just a wedding set for today. Something simple."

Emma started to frown, then recovered her sales persona, replaced the tray and moved to the back of the room where the front display cases stood. "Well, we have several wedding sets right here, all very reasonably priced." She winked. "And for such a good customer, twenty percent discount."

Sydney moved forward, a little too quickly, but Nigel caught the wistful look she'd shot towards the tower where Emma had pulled out the tray of rings. He scowled and followed her to where Emma had pulled out two trays of wedding bands.

"Yes, this is what we need," Sydney decided and started perusing the bands. "Nice and simple." She selected one and slid it on the third finger on her left hand. She made a face and put it back. "Too wide."

Nigel leaned on the counter and watched her try on the different bands, but made no move to participate.

Another customer entered and Emma excused herself to attend to him.

"What do you think of these?" Sydney asked as she slid another, gold band on her finger, with a scattering of diamonds around the band and picked up the matching men's ring.

Nigel watched her slide it over his ring finger. "It's fine."

"Do you like it?" she asked and held her hand up next to his.

"How much is the set?"

Sydney smiled as Emma returned. "How much is this set, Emma?"

"Eleven fifty," she replied. "Platinum and diamonds."

Nigel winced, even at twenty percent off that was steep for rings they only needed for a short while. He quickly pulled the band off his finger. "_Not_ that one."

Sydney was in full agreement and replaced the rings in the tray. There was no point spending a fortune on rings they planned only to wear for a short while.

Nigel spotted a white gold set with a Celtic design. "What about this one?" he asked plucking out the men's ring. "This one is quite nice." It was simple enough that he could wear it for the ceremony and decorative enough that it didn't scream wedding band.

Sydney slid the mate to his ring onto her finger. "Yeah, it is." She preferred white gold to yellow anyway. "It's very nice." She turned to Emma again. "What's this set run?"

"That set is seven fifty," she replied and reached beneath the counter. "And it comes with an engagement ring in the same pattern."

Sydney accepted the ring with a small solitaire inside a cluster of diamond chips. It wasn't visually stunning, but it was bigger than the one she had borrowed from Karen. She slid it on her finger next to the band and held her hand up for Nigel to see. "Well?"

"Do you like it?"

"It's nice."

"But do you like it?"

She shrugged and pulled the rings off. "It doesn't matter." She handed them to Emma. "We'll take this set."

"Lovely. I already have your size on file, Sydney." Emma smiled at Nigel. "I'll just need to get yours, then."

"Actually that band fits pretty well already."

Emma nodded and pulled out a receipt slip. "Sydney, how did they fit you?"

"The engagement ring is a little big, but the band fit fine."

"Okay so we just need to get the engagement ring fitted." She scribbled down the request as Sydney pulled her wallet from her purse, only to have Nigel catch her hand.

"I'll get them, Syd."

"Nigel!" Her eyes widened in surprise. The set was still quite a chunk of change even with the discount. "Are you sure?"

He nodded and pulled out his credit card. "Why don't you run across and get us a table at the restaurant. You promised to feed me."

"Absolutely," she smiled and then to Emma. "Thanks for your help." She started out, but not before stopping by the tower that held 'her' ring.

Nigel waited until the shop door closed behind Sydney, then put his hand over the paper where Emma was detailing the price. "What's her ring?" he asked.

Emma slowly smiled and peaked around him to ensure Sydney truly was no where in sight. "Well, she comes in here to browse at least once a month," she stated. "About three months ago, we received a shipment of custom made rings from England and there was one in particular that caught her eye. Since then she's been in almost every week to try it on."

"Why doesn't she buy it?"

"It's very expensive and while I think it's perfect for her, and well worth the price, she just can't seem to make herself buy it."

Nigel tapped his credit card on the counter and regarded the set he was about to purchase. "Does that engagement ring have to come with the set?"

"Not at all." Emma's smile widened. "It would be five twenty-five for just the bands, minus the discount, and a separate ring would be a separate price." She winked conspiringly. "And I can do twenty percent off that one as well."

Again Nigel grew quiet. He considered how very rare it was for Sydney to show such interest in something outside of a relic they were hunting. He considered how much she was sacrificing and risking for this insane charade of keeping him in the country. He considered how much he cared about his best friend and what a surprise it would be for her. Sydney Fox was so rarely surprised.

He nodded. "Let's see it then."

Sydney stepped through the doors of the Tex-Mex grill, asked for a table for two, then was escorted to a booth by a tall, handsome cowboy. A moment later her waitress appeared. She ordered a red wine for herself and a beer for Nigel, and then shrugged out of her jacket as she pulled out her cell phone.

After checking her home and office messages, she dropped the phone back in her purse as their drinks arrived. Now that she had the dress and was settled, she had to admit, she was pretty hungry.

"Would you like to order or would you like to wait for your company to join you?"

She figured Nigel would be ready to eat the chairs by the time they got there, so she briefly looked over the menu. "The combo and rib dish and the beef fajitas please."

"Coming right up." The waitress took the menus and wandered off, just as Nigel appeared.

"There you are." She smiled. "I ordered you the ribs and chicken."

"Thank you." He shrugged out of his jacket, slid into the booth opposite her and spotted the enormous Corona. "You are treating, aren't you?"

She nodded. "What took you so long? Were you haggling over the price?"

"Something like that," he smiled and reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small ring box. "Catch."

She caught the box as he slid it across the table. "Are both bands in here?" she asked as she opened it and gasped.

Inside was an exquisite ring of white gold in the shape of a rose. A raised 1.5 carat solitaire was mounted above sculpted white rose petals and nestled against a V like pattern on the front and back of the ring; giving the impression of rose in full bloom. The petals exploded with a brilliant crisscross of diamonds and rubies, which extended all the way around the exterior of the band.

"That is the one you liked, isn't it?" he asked, concerned that she had not responded. "Syd?"

She dragged her eyes away from her dream ring and finally met his gaze. "I…I…." She didn't know what to say, how to express what she was feeling. She had fallen in love with the ring the moment she had seen it, but it was an outrageous price and she couldn't convince herself that she deserved something so…so beautifully frivolous.

The urge to put it on was almost overwhelming, but she resisted, slowly closed the box and pushed it back across the table towards him. "I…No, Nigel."

He frowned. "Emma assured me this is the one you liked…."

"No!" She bit her lip and reached across for his hand. "Nigel, it is but…" She shook her head. "I can…I can't accept it. It costs a fortune and…" She squeezed his hand and smiled. "Thank you for the thought, but I can't accept it."

"You _can_ accept it." He reached for her hand again as she started to pull away. "Syd, please. I want you to have it. You've done so much for me, and now…well now you're risking…" He shook his head. "I want you to have it."

"Nigel…you can't afford…"

"I know what I can afford and it's fine." He tried not to think of how many years it might take him to pay it off. He caught her hand in both of his across the table. "Besides, I dare anyone to say what we have isn't real after getting a load of that ring."

She almost laughed, but her pride interceded and she shook her head.

Nigel growled, plucked the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger. "Look at that," he insisted gently. "How magnificent it is." He lifted his gaze to hers, saw tears shining there. "How magnificent you are. It belongs there, Syd. On your finger and no one else's."

Sydney looked at the ring on her hand…her ring, and then noticed all the other diners, and wait staff had stopped to watch. She supposed that to anyone looking on, seeing their joined hands, hearing his lovely words, it would appear he was proposing. Only she knew that Nigel's sincerity was to their friendship and nothing else.

She didn't want to cause a scene, and she couldn't resist with the ring on her finger, so she rose, and moved beside Nigel to hug him. "I love it," she whispered. "Thank you so much."

He was startled when applause broke out and buried his blush in her hair. "Bloody hell." He been giving her a gift not a…Well, he supposed it didn't matter now.

Sydney laughed and cuddled him closer, shielding him from the diners. "Poor baby."

Nigel pulled back and smiled at her. "I like seeing you so happy, Syd."

She made a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a sob and hugged him harder. "Likewise."


	4. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. Please review.

**CHAPTER 4**

"

"Six months!" Nigel cried. He couldn't live with Sydney for six bloody months!

"Six months to a year, actually."

"A year!"

"Worse case scenario." She plugged in her kettle, knowing a cup of tea would soothe his nerves. "I'm sure it won't take that long. They granted the hearing, so I think our interview went well."

After their lunch, Nigel was in a much better mood and even agreed to go look for shoes with her. Luckily, Sydney had found the perfect pair in the very first place they stopped, and then they had headed to Trinity, as Nigel had forgotten his lap top in the office.

The agent had called Nigel's cell while he ran inside and so Sydney answered. Tuttle had advised that a hearing would be scheduled between six to eight months, due to recent backlog of cases, and that he would require a copy of their marriage certificate by the end of the week to prevent a delay or cancellation of hearing.

Sydney had invited Nigel back to her place to discuss the news, knowing he would be upset.

"Sydney! I…I can't…" He shook his head and fisted his hands on her breakfast bar, where he sat facing the kitchen. Not only would they have to actually get married, they would have to stay married and live together for a year! He had been hoping it would all be over in a couple of months! "I can't believe this doesn't…bother you."

"Why should it?" She pulled down two mugs. "We knew we might have to put up the pretence for a little while…."

"Little? A year is not a bloody little while!"

She dropped two tea bags into the mugs, keeping her back to him, trying not to show her own concern. She hadn't expected Immigration to be so strict on their policies. Six months to a year is what it would take for Nigel's case to be reviewed, and they learned from Karen's research on the subject that at any time a worker could drop by and check on them. If everything wasn't how it should be, Nigel would be deported and she would go to jail.

Still, she had meant what she'd told him in her office the day he came to her with the problem. She was willing to do anything to keep them together. If that meant having a roommate for awhile, so be it. She wasn't thrilled at the idea, but at least she didn't have to worry about Nigel taking advantage of the situation as they spent most of their time together, anyway.

Besides, good luck on the immigration officers actually catching them at home; they were almost always at school or on a hunt. Then again, if they were never home, that could be worse for Nigel's case.

She rummaged through her cupboards to see if she had any cookies, trying for a British approach to Nigel's woes. Biscuits and tea were distinctly English. She realized after regarding her almost empty cupboards and refrigerator that she would have to get groceries, but finally found a half a bag of Oreos in her utensil drawer. Why they were in there she couldn't say, but they would do.

"Sydney, we can't go through with this. What if they find out? What if…"

She stepped up to her side of the counter and faced him. "Nigel, we can do this. It's not any harder than anything else we've had to do and we know each other pretty well, so I don't see any issues, do you?"

He stared at her, worried. "Sydney, I don't want anything to happen to you. I don't want this to affect you or…or cause you to lose your job or…"

She smiled and patted his cheek. "See, you're worried about me and I'm worried about you. No one would ever be able to say there isn't more between us."

"They will!" he insisted and watched her cross the kitchen again as the kettle boiled. "Sydney we…we don't…" He flushed. "You can tell when two people are…involved." He swallowed. "And we most certainly are not."

"Baloney." Sydney smiled to herself at his concern and poured their tea. "Lots of people assume we're sleeping together."

Nigel's eyes widened. "Really?"

She set the cookies on a plate, put them on the breakfast bar in front of him and then returned to the kitchen to prepare their tea, one sugar and milk for her, just milk for Nigel. "Sure. We have chemistry and people notice it." She sat their mugs on the bar and rounded to his side to settle onto a stool beside him. "People can't understand that a man and woman can be friends as long as we have, or do the things we do, and not be having sex." She reached for a cookie and shrugged. "That will work for us."

Nigel absently picked up his cup. True, over the years several people had thought that he and Sydney were an item, but he didn't see how an occasional assumption would prove their case. Besides, it was still a lie. It still felt wrong.

He glanced at Sydney as she sipped her tea and broke apart her Oreo, licking out the center first, before putting the two ends back together and popping them in her mouth. It was cute, the way she ate certain things and he found himself starting to smile, and then just as quickly caught himself.

"You can't honestly want me to stay here," he moaned. "Live here for…for a year!"

She didn't, in all honestly because she highly valued her privacy, but if this was what they had to do, so be it. "It'll be nice to have company." She shrugged as Maftet jumped up on the counter and headed straight for the plate of cookies. "We can order in pizza and make popcorn and watch old movies."

Nigel automatically plucked the cat away from the cookies and set her back on the floor. "What about…" He flushed again and glanced down as Maftet rubbed against his legs. "What if you want…um…real company? Um...companionship, I mean."

Her eyes widened over the rim of her mug. "Nigel! I'm about to be a married woman!"

"Sydney! I'm serious!"

She reached for another cookie and pulled it apart. "Are you asking to set up a sex schedule, Nigel? You can have lovers on odd days and I can have them on even?"

"I never…!" He flushed to his toes and bolted from the stool in frustration. "I would never suggest anything so…so crass, Sydney." He waved his hand at her and spun towards the living area. "Forget I said anything. It's useless to bloody talk to you when you've set your mind to something."

Sydney dropped her cookie and went after him, catching him by the arm and spinning him back towards her. She hadn't meant to upset him, especially when she'd been wondering about that too, and she wasn't nearly as okay with all of this as she pretended to be and her nerves were on edge.

"I'm sorry," she offered, catching his shoulders in both hands so he wouldn't turn away from her again. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

"I do, you don't want this any more than I do, Syd."

She sighed that he knew her so well. "Nigel, I…We just need to…"

"Do not tell me to go with the flow!" he snapped. "Not on this." He immediately regretted raising his voice. "I'm not trying to be difficult." He lifted his gaze to hers. "Syd, I… I'm just trying to think of your…your um...needs. Things would have to…to change and…and I just don't know how we can handle this."

As they were by the sofa she dropped down upon it and pulled him with her. "I know," she sighed. "Look, Nigel. It's just for awhile, we can do this. If…if you wanted to have…" She gestured with her hand, searching for a word that wouldn't upset him. "Relations with a woman just make sure you're discreet, that's all. Take her to a hotel or…or your place."

His place! He'd forgotten about it. "Syd, won't they wonder why I still have my apartment?"

"Tell them you couldn't break your lease, it's common enough, and that way you can still have somewhere to take your dates…"

"No."

"No what."

"No, I'm not taking anyone there for…for that."

"Well, I don't want them coming back here…"

"Sydney!" He gaped at her. "Why would you even think I would do that?"

"Well what are you going to do then?" Sydney demanded. "You don't own a car and no-tell-motels get to be expensive after awhile."

Nigel stared at her for a long time, and then faced forward and crossed his arms over his chest. "Can we please discuss something else?"  
"Fine." Sydney let the subject drop. She mimicked his position, annoyed. Finally, she said. "Did you want to bring some of your things over here, at least? Make it look like you live here?"

He supposed that would be prudent. "I don't have much," he admitted, slightly ashamed of the fact that he'd had little or no time to make his current flat into any kind of home.

"Do you think it will fit in my jeep?"

"Easily."

Sydney frowned. He'd been living here for seven years, and all of his belongings would fit in her jeep? He had to be joking. "We could rent a truck, if needed."

"No." Maftet jumped up on his lap and he stroked her back. "Are we really going to do this…this marriage thing, Syd? I mean…it isn't too late to back out."

She flashed her rose ring. "You already gave me the ring!" she teased and immediately sobered when he just stared at her. "You want to stay here don't you?"

"In the country or…or at your place?"

"Either," she smirked and patted his knee. "It will be okay, Nigel."

"But…marriage, Syd. For a year! I…I just…It doesn't seem feasible."

"Why not? We spend so much of our time together now, that I don't think it will be very different." But it would be different, and she was lying to herself. They had to be very careful not to ruin the relationship they already had.

"At work or…or in the field, certainly," he agreed. "I'm closer to you than I am to anyone, but even so, living with someone is…it's…well it's complicated."

He'd lived with Amanda for only a short time and while she claimed they had broken up over his moving to America, in reality it was because of the strain living together had put on their relationship.

"I mean…have you ever lived with anyone before, Syd?"

"Sure," she admitted and she'd hated it, but she didn't tell him that. The musician she'd shacked up with when she was nineteen, a man she'd thought she would marry, had turned out to be an obsessive slob and chauvinist inside what he considered to be his castle and he was lucky that when she left she had only broken his guitar.

"It will be different for us, Nige," she assured. "We'd be living together as friends not as a couple, so the pressures of…sex and…and a future together won't be an issue."

"Do you really think so?"

"Of course." What choice did they have, really, she wondered, but to make it work?

"I always knew I'd get married one day," Nigel sighed. "But I expected it to be to a woman I love." He winced at her expression. "I…I mean…not…not that I don't love…Well, it's…we're not…for us we…It…I…"

Sydney interrupted before he stroked out. "This one won't count, Nigel. It isn't the same as falling in love and preparing to spend the rest of your life with that person."

He regarded her, gratefully, and then turned his attention to the cat. No, he supposed it wasn't the same, but that was what marriage was supposed to be. He had always thought he would only ever get married once, and he would make it work a lifetime, as it should.

She rose, retrieved their tea and the plate of cookies and returned to the sofa. "We can pick up some of your things tomorrow after work, unless you want to do that tonight," she continued as she sipped her tea, her brow knitted in thought. "Maybe we should wait and rent a truck, bring in some of your furniture, just so they see we've merged it and I have plenty of room to set it up."

For some reason, applying for the license, buying the rings, discussing a sexual schedule didn't affect him as badly as the idea of actually moving his possessions into her loft. It made it more real, and he was even more certain that he wouldn't be able to go through with the ceremony. They were breaking the law, they were deceiving the US government, his best friend was risking jail and the loss of her job and reputation.

Sydney glanced at Nigel, watched the panic and uncertainty threaten to overtake him, reached for a cookie and put it to his mouth. "Open." He obeyed and she popped the cookie in. "Chew."

Nigel chewed the cookie as ordered, even though his mind was on overdrive. He felt like he was falling, falling, falling and there was no end at the bottom; just more falling. He started to hyperventilate and hated himself for it.

She popped another cookie into her mouth, without sectioning it this time, then rose to her knees on the cushions and urged Nigel to turn until his back was to her. "Breathe," she suggested as she started to rub his shoulders. "In, out. In, out."

Nigel tried to do as he was told, the security of Sydney's hands on him helped, as did the gentleness in her voice. "I…sorry, I…"

"It's okay," she assured but didn't stop the massage. She wanted to tell him that she had felt like throwing up after her call with Tuttle; her nerves had gotten the better of her, but she was concerned that would worry him more. "You need to treat this as any other kind of problem we have to solve, Nigel. Just pretend we're after a relic and these are hurtles we have to clear to reach our destination."

"Yes, okay." Nigel closed his eyes and nodded. "I…we can…we can do this. It…it's a challenge to solve."

"Exactly."

"Wh…what was the first challenge?"

"Getting married."

His breathing became labored again.

"I'm beginning to get a complex here, Nigel."

"No!" He spun so quickly to face her she almost fell off the sofa. "I'm not…it isn't…we're friends and…Sydney, you're lovely, fantastic really and if it…we…things were different I'd be…but they aren't and…"

"Calm down." Sydney caught his hands.

"It's just…I can't…This is all so…"

"I know, Nigel. I know," she agreed. "Don't think about it as..." She swallowed hard, because the idea caused her more distress than she was letting on. "Getting married, and then divorced, think of it as…as…" She searched her mind for a good phrase. "Two friends entering a partnership." She smiled, yes, that would do it.

"But...We're already partners, Syd."

"Right! So this should be a piece of cake. The marriage thing is just…it's just a piece of paper, a contract…"

"To love honor and cherish forever!"

Sydney appreciated that Nigel took such vows seriously. She did too, which is why she had not accepted any past marriage proposals; she hadn't met the one person she could see herself spending the rest of her life with. "So…we change the vows a little."

He looked at her. "C…can we do that?"

"Sure! Lots of people write their own vows, we'll just write ours to specify what we agree to." She smiled and congratulated herself on the solution. "We don't have to promise forever, Nigel, only until your Visa's approved."

He couldn't help but smirk. "I think that might sound a little suspicious to the minister, Syd." He shot backwards on the sofa, startled, as her cell phone rang.

Sydney grabbed it from the coffee table. "Hello?" She glanced at Nigel who was back to looking miserable again. "Um...oh. Well...that's too bad. Okay...yes. We will. Thank you."

"Who was it, Syd?"

"The lady from the chapel," she replied ending the call and staring at the phone for longer than necessary. "They...ah...there's been a death in their family and so...the chapel is canceling all ceremonies until next week."

Nigel felt a moment of relief, quickly fueled by panic. "We have to get a marriage certificate to Tuttle by the end of the week or my hearing will be cancelled." He looked at the floor, despondent. "I'll have to go back to London and give up my job at Trinity."

Sydney started to pace. "No, you won't." She felt like screaming in frustration. There had to be a way to do this, a way that was simple and quick. "We just need to regroup. We need to think about how to do this."

"But how?"

"I don't know, Nigel!" she snapped and instantly regretted it when he flinched. "I'm...I'm sorry. I need a few minutes, okay?"

He nodded and watched her walk over to a section area of the loft hidden by a half wall and sliding glass panels. She stepped inside, slid the panels closed and a few moments later he heard her getting out her frustration on one of the pieces of equipment inside the room.

He rose, collected their mugs and returned them to the kitchen. He had been fooling himself to think this would work. Besides the marriage part, he was concerned that living together would put a strain on their relationship. He did not want to risk them becoming upset with each other, or causing irreparable damage to their friendship.

Still, Sydney was correct in the fact that there was no other option. She seemed to want to do this for him, and despite his own misgivings, he would do almost anything to stay and remain her partner. "Stupid American government!" he growled as he slapped his hand on the counter. How could they have let him work here for seven years and then suddenly decided he was a bad risk?

Shaking his head, he poured out the remainder of their cold tea in the sink and set the cups in Sydney's dishwasher. He then took the washcloth from beside her sink, wet it and wiped down the counter. He noticed that the floor was a little dirty, so he found a broom in the closet and started to sweep. He swept the kitchen and living area, then scooped up the gathered bits and tossed them in the dustbin.

He could hear Sydney thumping away at her mechanical boxer, every now and then a ding would go off when she made a solid hit. Knowing she would be thirsty when she was finished he opened the refrigerator and found a bottle of water, then noticed that there were several cartons of left over take out and little else. Sauce from one of the cartons had dripped down onto one of the glass shelves; leaving a sticky mess. He proceeded to take out the drawers and glass shelves and washed them off in the sink, dried them and slid them back in place. Then he washed down the inside walls of the refrigerator.

Suddenly, it came to him. He hopped up, grabbed her water and headed over to her work-out area. "Syd?" he knocked on the panel doors before entering.

Inside was a long treadmill, her boxing man, a weight machine, a spinning wooden dummy used for Kung-Fu, and assortment of other fitness equipment. Over by the large window sat a covered Jacuzzi.

"What is it?" she asked, wiping her face with a hand towel from the supply she kept in a small cupboard by the wall.

"Vegas, Syd," he said as he handed her the water bottle. "We could fly to Vegas."

She gaped at him and then grinned. "That's brilliant!" she insisted, wondering why she hadn't thought about it? "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?"

He grinned. "Not only that, but a Vegas marriage can be far more easily annulled if need be, simply because of the stupidity of the alcoholics that end up coming home from there with a new bride that they can't even remember meeting."

She laughed, glad that he was back on track. "Okay, then we'll fly to Vegas tomorrow, get married by Elvis and fly back."

"Please, Syd. Not Elvis."

"Okay, maybe not Elvis." She smiled and stepped back out into her main living area. "Good job, Nigel. You see, we can figure anything out if we work together."

"Are you absolutely sure we can do this, Syd?"

"Absolutely."

"I'll call Karen and have her arrange it," he said and moved to retrieve his phone as Sydney headed into her kitchen.

"Oh, can you contact Professor Guerra and have him…"

"Take your classes, got it."

She smiled, finished her water and opened headed into the kitchen for another. "Nigel...did you clean my fridge?"


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine. Hope you are enjoying the story and please, if you take the time to read it, review. Thanks!

**CHAPTER 5**

Sydney and Nigel exited the cab in front of the Little Church of the West and stepped out. Nigel paid the driver and then stood with Sydney to observe the old historic church in a lovely country setting. They had flown in late last night, had a quick dinner and then went to bed, so they could be up early and get married. The chapel didn't open until eleven, so they had a quick breakfast, changed and headed over.

"This is quite nice," he remarked as they walked up the stone walk way, past flower gardens and tall trees to the antique looking church. He reached forward to open the heavy wooden door for her, then regarded her chosen dress and matching silver pumps. "That really is beautiful on you, Syd."

"Thank you, Nigel," she returned pleased and almost walked into the door instead of over the threshold, because she'd been admiring his dark suit and blue dress shirt and tie. It was an outfit she'd seen before and she had always liked it on him. "I like that color on you."

He smiled and stepped in behind her. "Thanks."

A grey-haired woman walked up and greeted them almost immediately in the outer hall of the church. "Welcome to the Little Church of the West! My name is Martha and I'll be your coordinator. Are you here as the stars of the show or the audience?"

"Sorry?" Nigel asked.

"Are you a bride and groom to be, or witnesses for an upcoming ceremony?"

"Oh…uh…we're to be married…bride and…and groom."

"He's just finishing up with another couple." Martha smiled. "Will you have your own witnesses?"

"Uh…no, we…we didn't think of it," Nigel stammered, alarmed. Karen and her brother had been willing to witness back home, but they hadn't thought they would need witnesses in Vegas.

"So you haven't made any arrangements with us yet?"

"No. We didn't think we'd…It's kind of last minute," Sydney began, and felt her stomach cramp in concern.

"Oh a whirlwind courtship was it?" The lady continued to smile. "How lovely! Now, don't you worry one bit, we're more than capable of handling a quickie." She winked. "And we have people who can stand in for you, but we also want to make sure you have a very memorable wedding." She took Sydney's arm and guided her over to a glass cooler that held an assortment of bouquets. "Now, you just pick whichever one you like, sweetheart, they're an additional thirty dollars, but you can't walk down the isle without a bouquet, now can you?"

"Uh…" Sydney shot Nigel a slightly panicked look. "I don't know anything about flowers…" She hadn't planned on anything but the dress, a bouquet made it more…real. This wasn't a real marriage and she was doing her best to not treat it as such.

"How about the white roses and blue daises then?" the woman suggested kindly. "It would go with your dress and his suit and there's a matching boutonniere for it as well."

"Sure," Sydney shrugged at Nigel. "Go with the flow, right?" He smiled at her and she was surprised when her heart quickened.

Martha removed the bouquet, spritzed it with something in a spray bottle and handed it to Sydney, then she expertly attached the boutonniere to Nigel's suit. "There now, you're just about ready. Do you have rings?"

"Yes," Nigel replied, quickly and patted his pocket. "We did remember those."

"Excellent." Martha rook Sydney's left hand and her eyes widened over the rose shaped ring. "My dear, that is absolutely beautiful!" She smiled at Nigel. "You must love her very much to buy something so wonderfully romantic."

Nigel flushed. "I…I…uh…" He lowered his eyes, unwilling to meet Sydney's gaze; easily accomplished for she started avoiding his as well.

"We wanted to have some pictures taken…" Sydney began pulling out Nigel's digital camera and Martha nodded.

"You can give that to one of the witnesses and they'll take care of it for you." She waived at the chairs by the wall. "Have a seat and I'll call you when he's ready."

"Thank you," Sydney replied gratefully and wondered if the older lady could hear her knees knocking together. God, she was nervous! Telling Nigel it was no big deal was one thing, but damn it, she was getting married! Regardless of the reason she found it nerve-racking as hell.

They settled on the chairs and Sydney fidgeted with her new bouquet. "So…you have the rings?"

"Yes, of course." Nigel pulled the small square box from his pocket, which he opened to show the two white gold Celtic bands. He snapped it shut as he realized his hands were shaking. "I don't know if I can do this, Syd."

She shifted her bouquet to her right hand and reached for his with her left. "I'm nervous too," she admitted. "Just keep saying charge it, that's what I'm doing."

He scowled at her. "Charge it?"

She nodded. "We're doing this to get your Visa…get it?" she grinned. "Also, it makes me think of shopping, which always relaxes me."

"Right." He released a nervous chuckle. "Okay. Charge it. Charge it. Charge it."

"They're ready for you now," Martha announced, watching the way the Bride-To- Be was staring at her Groom. "You make a lovely couple."

Sydney flushed, for the first time in, she couldn't remember how long, and rose on legs that were suddenly trembling. "Charge it," she whispered and squeezed Nigel's hand as they moved towards the chapel doors. "Charge it."

Nigel stopped just outside the doors and met her gaze. "We don't have to do this, Syd."

She stared into his eyes, into the warm, familiar hazel eyes of her best friend, her partner, and knew that she would do anything to keep him with her. She leaned in and kissed his cheek. "Yes we do."

The walls and floor of the chapel were polished wood, except for the small grey blue carpet down the center and a few small, shaded side windows. Several rows of wooden pews stood on either side of the isle, slightly tilted to offer a better view of the front where a large golden stained-glass window was the feature attraction on the back wall; a single red rose in the center of the middle glass. In front of the window was simple alter, where a young man in a dark suit waited for them with a clipboard in his hands.

The doors closed behind them and Nigel jumped and felt a momentary panic of being hemmed in. Oh, God, they were actually going to do this. "Charge it. Charge it. Charge it," he muttered in rapid succession as Sydney half pulled him towards the minister. "It's not working!"

"Hush!" she hissed as they reached the front of the chapel and tried to smile. "Hi there."

"Welcome. I'm Reverend Thomas. May I have your full names please?" he asked.

"Sydney Isabelle Fox."

"And you?" the Reverend Thomas asked Nigel.

"Um…N…Nigel Bailey."

"Is that your full given name?"

Nigel flushed and muttered. "Nigel…Jules Vern Bailey."

Sydney blinked at him surprised. "Jules Vern? Really?"

"My father was a fan, okay?"

She refrained from further comment; as he was nervous enough.

Reverend Thomas turned out to be was a witty and fun and made them both feel at ease. In no time at all, they were at the exchange of rings. They had given their camera to an older couple who agreed to stand with them as witnesses, as well as their rings

Nigel accepted their wedding bands from the older man, as Sydney handed her bouquet to the silver-haired woman behind her.

As they had previously discussed, they wrote their own vows and tried to avoid promising anything that either of them could not actually commit to, although they had not had the time to show each other what they had written.

Sydney turned to Nigel, forced herself to think she was giving a seminar as she began the vows she had rehearsed only the night before. "I, Sydney Isabelle Fox, accept you Nigel…" She couldn't help biting her lip in amusement. "Jules Vern Bailey, as my friend and partner. To endure through good times and bad, in sickness and in health, regardless of any circumstance or concern, and protect you from all others."

Nigel lowered his head and felt his lips twitch as she slid the ring on the third finger of his left hand. "Protect me, indeed," he murmured, but felt himself relax, just a little, as she continued.

"I promise to appreciate you, to honor you and to adore you." Sydney playfully tugged at his tie; his quiet, teasing indignation had loosened her tongue and caused her to add lib a little. "Especially when you wear this shade of blue, and I commit to a long and exciting future for us together."

Nigel thought Sydney's adjustments were brilliant and hoped his would work just as well.

He closed his left hand into a fist for a moment, tried not to consider how odd the ring felt on his finger, then remembered it was his turn and took Sydney's left hand. "I, Nigel… Jules Vern…" he muttered so quietly the others hardly heard the two words he despised. "Bailey, accept you, Sydney Isabelle Fox as my mate and partner. I promise to encourage, honor and obey…any reasonable request."

Sydney grinned at the obey part and immediately approved of his choice of words, for a mate to him was a friend, while the minister would consider it something else entirely. She kissed his cheek in approval.

"We're not there yet, Sydney," the reverend teased with a smile. "You can't just skip to the best part, you know?"

Nigel flushed and continued as he slid the ring on her finger, hoping she didn't notice the slight tremble in his hand. "Through jetlag and dysentery, against an angry horde armed to the teeth, and forsaking all common sense, I promise to remain devotedly at your side for as long as you need me." He smiled at her, shyly. "And probably beyond, because I hope you'll always need me, Syd, in some way or the other."

Sydney's heartbeat quickened as it always did when he gave her that special, secret smile she loved so much. "I always will," she promised as they faced forward again.

Reverend Thomas smiled warmly at them. "Those are the most, unique vows I've ever heard," he commented. "And perhaps the most sincere. I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Nigel tensed and carefully, gently pressed his lips to Sydney's, them immediately pulled back.

"Oh come on!" the reverend tossed. "Sydney, surely such an eager beaver like yourself can do better?"

Inspired by Nigel's vows and suddenly needing something to release the tension they were both holding, she slapped her hands on Nigel's cheeks and pulled him forward. "You bet!"

She planted a big whopping kiss on the Englishman, initially for fun and perhaps just to harass him, for she knew he'd get flustered, but then, suddenly it wasn't funny anymore and their lips started to move together in a hesitant, leisurely rhythm.

She slid her arms around his neck, felt his arms go around her waist and didn't deepen the kiss so much as fell head first into it. Every one of her senses tingled with anticipation, her nerve endings sizzled and she forgot about everything except the fantastic feeling of his lips against hers.

Nigel's mind raced, even as their mouths seemed to fuse together and showed no signs of stopping. He shouldn't be doing this. They shouldn't be doing this, but they had to do this, right? It was part of the ceremony, the cincher that closed the deal, the part everyone waited for, the… Christ Jesus! He was married!

Sydney moaned in protest when Nigel suddenly pulled away, his hands and lips released her as if he had been scalded, and she suddenly felt herself flush to her toes for not having the sense to break the contact herself. What the hell had she been thinking, kissing him like that?

"Now that's a proper marriage kiss!" Reverend Thomas applauded, along with the older couple, all of them smiling and none really noticing the new bride and groom's stunned looks.

"I…I…Um…" Nigel's raked his thumbnail over his right eyebrow and tried to focus as he pulled his gaze away from Sydney's. "Do…do we need to…um…sign anything?"

Reverend Thomas nodded and retrieved the registry book and indicated a small table in the corner with two chairs. "Yes, of course."

Sydney sank into the chair, for her legs were as weak as wheat against a high wind. With a trembling hand she signed her name, then handed the pen to Nigel who signed his. The elderly couple stepped up, signed in the witnesses positions, and then each hugged Sydney and Nigel and offered congratulations.

"Your certificate will be ready in about an hour," Reverend Thomas advised, still smiling. "There's a lovely café across the way, why don't you head over and get a bite and when you come back it will be waiting for you."

Both Sydney and Nigel could only nod and slowly made their way out of the chapel, the church and stopped just at the end of the little courtyard.

"Nigel I…"

"Sydney I…"

They looked at each other, both shocked by what happened, both embarrassed that it did.

"It…It was probably just the…the environment," she offered quietly as she picked at the flowers in her bouquet, rather than meet his gaze again. "We…we got…caught up….or something."

Nigel nodded, that was as good an explanation as any. "Yes. Right." He bit his lip and curled his left hand into a fist again; he still wasn't used to the feel of the ring on his finger. It felt tighter now, than when he tried it on at the jewelers, as if it was trying to cut off his circulation.

Sydney squared her shoulders and rolled her neck around. "So…that's done."

"Yes." They were married, legally married…to each other. His stomach cramped and he pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket as sweat dampened his brow. "So…um…What now?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Bailey!"

Nigel was the only one who turned toward the lady who witnessed for them, as she hurried from the church.

"You forgot your camera, darlings." She handed Nigel the camera with a big smile. "I took lots of photos, I hope you like them."

Nigel managed to nod, he hadn't noticed her taking the pictures.

"Your certificate will be ready soon. Congratulations again!" She waved and hurried back into the church.

Sydney looked at Nigel, then at the camera in his hand.

"Pictures," he said, lamely and dropped the small camera in his pocket. They had their proof, part of it anyway.

Desperate for something to focus on, something other than being married to Nigel Sydney looked around until she spotted the café. "Hungry?"

"Not really."

Nigel was always hungry, so his denial proved to Sydney how upset he really was. She pointed out a bar. "Let's get something to take the edge off then?"

He wiped his brow and glanced at his watch. "It's barely noon."

"Who cares?" She caught his hand and pulled him across the street. "I need a drink."

After several rounds of drinks, they felt relaxed enough to return and retrieve their certificate, then spent the next couple of hours in the casinos and shops, where Sydney won a bundle at Black Jack and Nigel found a rare book that he just could not do without. Rather then stay in Vegas they hopped a late afternoon flight back to Massachusetts. They did not discuss the kiss.

Sydney's stomach started cramping almost right after lift off, and her hands were shaking. Her new rings attracted her attention and she found that she couldn't help staring at them. Was that why she felt ill? She couldn't imagine why she would be upset, she'd agreed to it and it was for Nigel. She knew that nothing would happen between them, they were best friends after all, and they'd been in far more intimate situations.

"Syd?"

She glanced at Nigel, as if forgetting he was in the seat beside her. "Huh?"

"Are you all right?" He reached for her hand, his gaze lingering only a moment on the new rings she wore, before covering her fingers with his. "You're cold as ice!" He immediately pulled off his suit jacket and slid it over, concerned. "Are you ill?"

She shook her head and numbly still staring at her hand. She was married! She was married to Nigel. He'd bought her the ring of her dreams and she was married…to Nigel. "Just…tired," she assured and slid her arms into his jacket, inhaled the scent of his cologne and then laid her head on his shoulder. "You're warm."

Nigel scowled and hit the call button above him. A moment later a flight attendant appeared by their seats.

"Can I help you?"

"Could we get a blanket and perhaps a whisky?" Sydney had two shots of jack and a beer at the bar, but that had been several hours ago.

The flight attendant nodded and headed back towards the front of the plane.

Nigel took Sydney's hand between both of his and tried to warm her. "You're so cold." It was inconceivable considering they just left the desert and it was not at all chilly on the plane. He accepted the blanket from the flight attendant and quickly tucked it around Sydney, then took the glass of whisky.

"Here, now. This will warm you up."

Sydney took a sip obediently. He was being so sweet, so understanding. She didn't know what was wrong with her, but she couldn't think, her brain felt foggy and she was so incredibly cold."

"Is she ill?" the flight attendant asked.

Sydney shook her head and laid her head back on Nigel's shoulder. "I'm fine. It's just been a…busy day."

Nigel scowled, knowing there was more to it than that. A busy day for Sydney consisted of teaching a class, finding a relic and outrunning gunmen. This was not a busy day for Sydney Fox, but he could see she was exhausted and anxious.

He noticed that she kept looking at her rings and automatically glanced at his own plain band. It felt odd wearing it and his stomach fluttered each time he looked at it, or when he thought of their flight landing and them heading home, to Sydney's which would now be theirs. He had been nervous the entire flight to Vegas, so much so he thought he would pass out, but Sydney had assured him she was fine with doing this.

His head was swimming with doubts and concerns on how to make it work, how to make sure that they didn't do anything to ruin their friendship, and then he'd think about the kiss they shared and his imagination would run away with him. Sydney hadn't broached the subject, he hadn't expected her too. She preferred to sweep those moments under the rug, mostly, but that was…well…quite a moment.

He wondered if perhaps she was having second thoughts too. "Sydney." He frowned when she didn't respond to him, and kept staring at her hand. He placed his hand over hers, covering the rings, sensing it might help. "We…we'll file for an annulment tomorrow."

His words penetrated the thick fog that seemed to surround her and she pulled her head up to look at him. "What?"

"This was a mistake, but we can fix it, Syd. It will be okay."

She stared at him. "No. Nigel…we…we have to…" They had to do this for him to stay in the country. Why didn't he understand that? She was just tired, it would pass. "I'm good with this and…and…I…I think I'm going to be ill."

Nigel immediately rose, as she scrambled out of the window seat and ran for the bathroom. He followed her, put his hand against the door and could hear her retching inside for several seconds, then silence.

"Syd, are you okay?"

Silence.

"Sydney?" He knocked on the door, concerned. "Syd, answer me. Are you okay?"

The flight attendant stopped beside him, worried. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know." He banged on the door again. "Sydney please, open the door so I can help you."

Finally the door clicked to 'vacant' and a very pale and shaking Sydney Fox appeared. "I…I don't feel well."

"You don't look well." Nigel put his arm around her, and at the direction of the flight attendant settled her in one of the first class seats, rather than have her stumble all the way back to economy.

"The seat belt sign is on, Sir," she advised. "You'll need to strap in because we're about to land."

"Our bags…"

The attendant patted his shoulder as she pulled another blanket from the overhead cupboard and draped it over, Sydney. "I'll get them. You stay here with your wife."

Nigel belted them back in as the captain announced the upcoming landing. "We'll be down soon, Syd, and I'll get you to a hospital."

Sydney moaned and shook her head. "No…home. Just home."

"Sydney, you're sick."

"Please…home."

Once they landed, Nigel managed to get Sydney off the plane, held on to both their overnight bags and get a cab to take them back to her place.

"Easy, easy!" he insisted as she pushed away from him the minute the elevator opened on her floor and ran up the stairs for her bathroom. He set their bags down and hurried after her.

"Oh, Syd." He stepped in to the bathroom and held her hair away from her face as she vomited into the toilet.

Nigel had never seen Sydney sick, not this sick. She was the healthiest person he had ever met, and seeing her like this alarmed him. He touched her forehead, concerned. "You're burning up, luv."

Sydney finally stopped retching and moaned as Nigel reached above her to retrieve a cloth off the shelf, and then leaned sideways to rinse it with cool water. He offered her the cloth and she covered her face with it as he took her rinse cup and filled it with water from the tap.

"Thanks," she croaked, taking some of the water in her mouth, then spitting it back out. "I…feel…horrible."

"Apparently, marriage doesn't agree with you," Nigel teased mildly, trying to hide his own nerves at her illness.

"Hmmm…" She lifted her hand to him. "Help."

He helped her to stand and she leaned heavily on him, a sure sign she was ill. "Shall I take you to the hospital?"

She shook her head as he steadied her and guided her out of the bathroom. "Bed. Just bed."

He nodded and helped her to the bed. "Are you sure?"

"Flu…" She moaned, weakly. "Maybe…food I…ate." She almost smiled at his gentleness as he crouched down and unstrapped her heeled sandals, slipping them off her feet with the grace of Prince Charming. "Some day," she hummed. Some day, her Prince would come, right? She looked down at her left hand and smiled dreamily. "Pretty."

Nigel barely caught her as she started to fall back on the bed. "Easy, Syd." He regarded her for a moment; her eyes were bloodshot and dilated. "So you…um…do you want to take your dress off?"

She nodded and managed to rise, but swayed into Nigel, who had to wrap his arms around her to keep them both from falling.

"Oh, sweetheart," he said distressed, as he worked to release the fastener of her dress. "I've never seen you sick."

"Not…usually," she admitted and was able to shove the front of her dress down on her own and let it fall to the floor, exposing white lace panties and bra. "Caught…something."

Nigel was too concerned for her to even bother lowering his eyes as he helped her step out of the dress, then pulled back the covers on her bed and gently guided her into it. "Rest will help," he offered and pulled the covers over her, diligently tucking them around her.

"Too warm," she moaned.

"I know, but you have to keep covered or you'll get a chill." He touched his hand to her forehead. "You're so hot, Sydney."

She sighed as she lay back on her pillows. "You're pretty…cute yourself."

He shook his head and patted the bed as Maftet meowed beside him. "Keep her company, girl," he instructed and the cat obediently hopped up and curled against Sydney. "I'll be back shortly, Syd."

Sydney reached out and caught his hand. "Stay."

He sat on the bed and squeezed her hand. "I have to get you some medicine, Syd, and a thermometer, unless you have one?"

She shook her head; why would she need it? She hardly ever got sick. "Better…bring me something for…in case."

He grimaced and nodded. "I'll get a bowl." His gaze rested on their joined hands, on the rings she now wore. Should he take them off? Did women wear their rings to bed? "Um…do you…do you want to…"

Sydney shook her head, refusing whatever he wanted to ask her and closed her eyes, wishing the nausea would go away. "Sleep. Just want to sleep."


	6. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine. Hope it is bringing the on the laughs because it is supposed to be comedic Please review. Thanks!

**CHAPTER 6**

The next three days were a blur of cold sweats, shivering, vomiting and sleeping for Sydney. Nigel was there through it all, bathing her brow with a cool cloth, changing the sheets when she soaked them in sweat, helping her swallow medications at regular intervals, helping her to and from the bathroom and keeping her hydrated, all without complaint.

On the forth day, she awoke fuzzy-headed but nausea free. She turned her head sideways and peered at the sun rising through her windows. Tossing back the covers, she slid her feet to the floor and quickly stood, almost immediately she fell back onto the bed as the blood rushed to her head.

"Okay, still need to take it slow," she decided, waited for the dizziness to clear and then tried again to rise. She nodded when her legs appeared steady. She felt better inside, but outside she felt sweaty and sticky and her mouth had a horrible taste in it.

She noticed she was wearing one of her nightgowns, but no underwear or bra and wondered how Nigel had gotten the courage to change her. Then she remembered at one seeing Karen, so perhaps that was how she got changed, or perhaps she dreamed it. Mostly it was Nigel. Nigel and Maftet , and the pink Giraffe that occasionally talked to her.

Slowly she walked over to the railing of her bedroom platform and peered down into her living room. There was her nursemaid, sound asleep on the sofa, Maftet sleeping on his bare stomach. She smiled, and rather than wake him, she decided to take a nice hot shower.

She felt so much better after a good scrubbing and wrapped her body in a robe and her hair in a towel before stepping out of her en-suite bathroom. She slid her feet into a pair of slippers and slowly made her way downstairs.

Heading into the kitchen area she prepared a pot of coffee, needing her caffeine fix after three days with only water; and most of that hadn't stayed down. She opened her refrigerator and was startled to find it fully stocked. Karen absolutely had been here, she'd recognize her assistant's organization and food choices anywhere. Lots of fruit and fresh vegetables, several types of juice and vitamin water, and…She reached in to peal back the lid on a casserole dish and smirked at the half eaten lasagna. Well, at least Nigel had taken time to eat.

She reached for a carton of eggs, then decided not to chance it with her recovering stomach and selected a grapefruit instead.

She peered into the living room and saw that Nigel was still sleeping soundly, so she tried to be as quiet as possible as she halved the fruit and set piece on a plate. She spied a loaf of bread on the counter and popped a slice in the toaster, then carried her grapefruit to the breakfast bar, that semi-separated her living area, rather than to the table on the other side.

She returned to pour herself a cup of coffee, then buttered her toast and settled at the breakfast bar. She couldn't help but watch Nigel sleep as she ate. He'd been so good to her while she was sick, even though she only remembered parts of it.

She looked at her left hand and smiled at the beautiful engagement ring and Celtic band, which seemed to go well with each other. Most of her earlier anxiety seemed to flee with her illness, and it was obvious that she and Nigel would have no problem living together for awhile, if the last three days were any indication. They could make it work and in the end it would be worth it to keep him with her.

Maftet woke up, perhaps smelling food, rose, stretched and jumped off Nigel to pad over to Sydney and paw at her legs.

Sydney slid off her stool and put some food and water in the cat's bowl, then returned to her own breakfast, just as Nigel stirred. She watched affectionately as he tried to avoid wakefulness, his eyes flickered several times, only to stubbornly close again. Finally, they opened for good and fell upon her.

"Hey," he murmured drowsily and struggled to sit up. "You're up."

She nodded. "And feeling much better, thanks to you."

He stifled a yawn and started to throw back the blanket he had over him, then realized his morning predicament and thought better of it. At least he was wearing shorts and not just his briefs. "Um…How are you feeling?" He dropped his bare feet to the floor, but kept the covers across his legs and reached for the T-shirt he had tossed off last night. "You should still be in bed."

She shook her head and rose to get him a cup of coffee; he looked like he could use it. "I feel fine." She poured him a cup and added one sugar then walked over as he pulled his shirt over his head to cover his naked chest. "_You_ look exhausted, Nigel." She tucked one leg under her and settled next to him, bracing her elbow on the back of the sofa and leaning her head against her hand. "Have you slept?"

"Here and there," he nodded and took a sip of the coffee, sighing gratefully. "I was worried, Syd. I've never, ever seen you ill, certainly not that ill."

She shrugged. "Must have been a bug." Or stress, she realized. Stress that depleted her usually strong immune system and let something slip in and grab hold of her.

"Are you sure it wasn't something else?" Nigel took another sip of his coffee and indicated her rings. "Nervous tension, perhaps? Anxiety?"

Sydney didn't remark on his ability to read her mind, he'd always been able to do that. "I'm sure."

She watched Maftet hop up on the sofa, rub against her, and then settle on Nigel's lap. The cat didn't take to men usually, hadn't liked any of the men she had dated, but she seemed to favor Nigel and that spoke volumes to Sydney.

"Traitor," she muttered, even as she reached to pet the cat.

"Syd…"

"It's fine." She rubbed his arm. "I'm fine."

Nigel set the coffee mug on his knee and rubbed Maftet's ears, causing the animal to purr loudly in appreciation.

"How are you?" she asked. "Are you okay?"

He hesitated than shrugged. "I haven't had the chance to even think about it. You've been so sick and I was worried about you. Karen came by and tried to help, God bless her, but we needed her at the office, with both you and I out so…" He lifted his eyes to hers. "I…I just…it feels odd waking up here in your place. You know?"

She nodded. This wasn't Nigel's home, it was hers and she would feel weird suddenly sleeping at his place too. They had moved in most of his things and a few pieces of his furniture before they flew to Vegas, and he hadn't been lying about his amount of personal possessions.

It seemed that other than books and DVD's he had very damn little and it irked Sydney that he hadn't acquired more, especially when she considered all her little knickknacks and paintings and things that outfitted her loft.

"It will get easier," she assured. "We can do this, Nigel. It really won't be so bad once we settle into a routine and today we can unpack your things and get them settled around the place.

"You're sick, Sydney."

"I'm still a little off, but I can unpack a few boxes." She looked around. "We can put your DVD stand right there in the corner, by the TV, although that won't really fit all of them from what I saw." She pursed her lips and noticed a blank space on her walls opposite the living area. "Hey, we can get a few shelves and put your movies across there."

He looked to where she pointed. "That would be…um…a little permanent, wouldn't it?"

She shrugged. "Not really, I'll find something else to put there if I have to, but for now it would make it look more genuine." She continued to look around. "We can put your reading chair and lamp over there by the window, so you can use the sunlight more…"

"I don't really get much time to read in the day, Syd."

"Nigel!" She smacked at his arm. "Get into the spirit will you? We have to make it look like you're living here. Do you expect them to understand why all of your stuff is still in boxes and piled in one corner?"

"I…I suppose you're right."

"Of course I am. Hey, you play the piano, right?"

"Um…yes. More or less."

"We could get a piano and put it right over there to offset the dining table, what do you think?" She grinned. "I've always wanted a piano, but it seemed extravagant since I don't play."

He stared at her, his emotions a jumble of disbelief, gratitude and confusion, then finally comprehension. "You just want to go shopping," he realized. "You've been talking about refitting your loft for years and now you have an excuse!"

She grinned, caught. "We could go shopping together! We could make it look like new and include some things for you. You really should have more, Nigel, and…"

"Syd…I'm only going to be here until my Visa…."

"Pretty please?" She put her head on his shoulder and batted her eyes. "Please come shopping with me? We can have so much fun and it will be like a whole new loft!"

"Don't bat those eyelashes at me." He gently tossed her off. "I'm immune to your ways, as you well know."

"But I've been sick!"

"I'm immune to guilt as well."

"Nigel!" she pushed her lips out and slumped back against the sofa. "I thought you liked shopping with me."

He rolled his eyes. "No man likes shopping, Syd." But he couldn't resist her pouty face, to that he was not immune for he so rarely saw it. "Fine!"

She squealed and hugged him.

"Off. Off!" he pushed her away and tried to cover himself again. "No need to manhandle me. Just when are we supposed to find the time to do all of this wonderful shopping and overall?"

She shrugged. "Well figure it out."

"Hmmm…"

"Did you courier a copy of our certificate to Tuttle?"

"Yes, and a copy of our license, which was here when we returned." They had signed a waiver in Vegas stating they would be required to get a license within thirty days for the certificate to be valid.

"Good." Silence fell between them.

Nigel noticed his earlier issue had finally faded and handed her the mug, as he gently displaced Maftet. "I should get dressed."

"Why?"

"Well I…I mean…I can't just laze about in my night clothes, Syd."

"Sure you can." She winked at him. "We're married and this is your place too, you can walk around naked if you want."

Oh God! "Y…you're not…you don't d…do that…do you?"

She almost laughed at his concern. "I'll try to remember to keep my clothes on."

"Please do." He rose. "I should run into the office if you're feeling better, check our messages and things." He couldn't help reaching down to put his knuckles to her forehead; he'd done it a dozen times over the last few days and it was habit now. "No fever?"

"Nope." She caught his hand, pulled it to her lips and kissed his knuckles, causing him to blush again. "Thanks for taking such good care of me."

He bobbed his head, "I…you're welcome." He pulled his hand back and started to move away.

She caught his arm. "Nigel?"

He turned back to her.

"You're going to have to get used to me touching you, or this is never going to work."

He looked stricken for a moment, and then resigned. "I…I don't mind you touching me, Sydney." It was the kissing that affected him, and the looks, and sometimes her state of undress. He was only a man after all.

"Good, because we have to look like we're in love whenever immigration is around so it might be good to…you know…get used to it."

Alarm settled over his face again. "U…Used to it h…how?"

"Just being more affectionate, that's all. We should practice so neither of us are surprised by it. They'll definitely know something's up if you blush every time I touch or kiss you, right?"

"I…h…how many times are you planning to do that?"

"Touch you?"

"Kiss me."

She shrugged and pushed away the memory of their kiss in the church. "Until you get used to it so it looks real in front of the investigators."

He felt a cramp in his stomach and a flutter in his heart and ended up sinking back to the sofa next to her. "I…can't do this, Syd."

"Sure you can. It's not like either of us is repulsive…"

"No. No of course not but…" He mentally searched for the correct way to say how he was feeling, without offending her or making him seem prudish. "Um…There… Syd, there's this…this line." He sliced the air in reference. "Over here is you and over here is me. We're…we're friends and partners."

"Right."

"And…nothing else…" He silently pleaded with her to figure it out so he could stop trying to explain. She looked at him blankly. "We…we never cross this…this line, Syd."

"Oh, we've crossed it," she smirked.

"We Have Not!" Nigel visibly calmed himself. "I'm not talking about…about a ruse or…or a distraction, Syd."

She put her hand on his arm and let him off the hook, although it was entertaining as hell watching him get worked up. "I understand what you're saying, Nigel," she assured and pretended to wipe at the line in the air he had drawn. "We're not going to cross it, just smudge it a little."

He sighed. It wasn't that easy, didn't she understand that?

"Look, I'm not saying we have to start kissing with tongues or that I'll grab your ass every time we go out, but we have to get more comfortable with each other."

"I am comfortable with you!" He insisted, quickly. He was more comfortable with Sydney than with anyone.

"Likewise. We both understand and trust each other, so we also know there won't be anything read into whatever we do during this."

Nigel swallowed, hard.

"Okay?"

He nodded. "Can…can you at least…With the kissing…um…not be too…um…amorous with…with it? I…it doesn't…it makes me feel very…odd because you…we're friends and…and…"

"You didn't have any trouble at the church."

He flushed to his toes. "I…I…I don't know…you…you started it and…and I…." He shook his head appalled.

"Relax," she put her hand on his arm. "We got caught up in the moment."

"Yes!" He sighed in relief. "That's…that's exactly what happened and…and it…it didn't mean…anything." He finally found the courage to meet her gaze. "I don't want to do anything that will ruin or…or put a strain on our friendship, Sydney.

"Likewise." She paused for a moment, then leaned in close and watched him automatically pull back and tense. "Nigel."

"S…sorry."

She touched her lips to his in a sweet, unobtrusive kiss then pulled back. "There. Is that okay?"

He nodded, that was quite nice, actually. "Yes. That…I can deal…That is fine, Syd."

"Okay, now you."

It took him a few seconds to get up the courage then he leaned in and did the same. It wasn't so bad really, when you considered that they were friends. Friends sometimes kissed each other on the mouth, in greeting or happiness.

"Great!" she smiled. "See, we can get through this."

"Yes…yes I almost believe we can."

"Okay, so another cup of coffee and then we'll head to the office."

"I thought you wanted to unpack?"

Her eyes twinkled as she rose and set her dishes in the sink. "That was before you agreed to shopping."

He groaned and headed upstairs to dress, hearing Sydney's laughter echoing behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

DISCLAIMER: RH characters are not mine. My reviews are dwindling again...that makes me sad :(. When I am sad I don't write as well, but I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway. Thanks Celeste and Hazygirl for their lovely comments.

**CHAPTER 7**

Nigel ate a quick breakfast, then he and Sydney headed to the office. He was still exhausted, but was so relieved that Sydney was feeling better he shrugged it off. The last few days had been an absolute nightmare of worry, feelings of helplessness and almost no sleep.

He had diligently emptied and cleaned out the bowls he had to leave by Sydney's bed for when she was sick, cooled her brow with a cold cloth when was hot and kept her warm when she was cold; sometimes that involved him climbing into bed with her and holding her until her shivering stopped.

He changed her sheets when she soaked them in sweat, helped her swallow medication at regular intervals, helped her to and from the bathroom and tried to keep her hydrated as best he could with her constant nausea.

On the third day, Karen had shown up with a bag of fruit and juice and a homemade lasagna, for which he had been extremely grateful, as he'd only managed a tin of soup and the last of the Oreos since returning from Vegas.

His appetite hadn't been exactly raring, after having to clean up Sydney's vomit so many times, plus Sydney had almost no groceries, but he couldn't leave her long enough to go out and get them. He'd made the run to the pharmacy and came right back; luckily she always kept extra cat food around or the poor cat would also be starving.

Karen had been a Godsend, immediately sensing he needed help, which he no doubt had. She put away the food she brought and had promised to keep an eye on Sydney while he had run to take a shower. His reflection had been ghastly; he'd looked like the walking dead, with three days growth on his face, his hair greasy and all over the place and his eyes bloodshot.

However, Sydney had decided to wander, completely naked, into the washroom as he had been shaving. He'd been thoroughly traumatized and his cry of alarm had alerted Karen, who came running and got Sydney dressed and back in bed.

Now, after all of that, they were headed to the office and possibly shopping. He wasn't aware that he had nodded off in the car until he heard Sydney call his name.

"Huh? What?"

"You were asleep." Sydney frowned as she realized she should have considered that he was still worn out. "I'm sorry, Nigel. why didn't you just tell me you were tired? You could have stayed at home."

The word home hit something in his heart but he ignored it. "I'm okay, Syd. We're just checking messages, right?" Besides, he wasn't about to let her go off alone, not when she had been so ill. What if she'd had a relapse?

"Why don't you stay here and I'll run in..."

Nigel shook his head, released his seatbelt and forced himself to show more energy as he exited her jeep. "I'm perfectly fine, Syd. You slept most of the night and so did I."

Sydney stepped out and scowled at him, then realized he was wearing his obstinate look. Nigel didn't dig in about many things, but when he did, you had a better chance of taking away a hungry tiger's dinner than him changing his mind. "I'm feeling fine, Nigel."

"Of course you are." They both headed towards the university entrance. "In sickness and health, right?"

"Through jetlag and dysentery, huh?"

"Absolutely." He held the door open and smiled at her as she preceded him through. She awarded him her special smile, the one that seemed to say 'I-don't-know- what-to-do-with-you, so-I-guess-I'll-keep-you. He loved that smile, because it meant he had won the argument, which was so very rare, it made him extra special

They entered the Ancient Studies office and found Karen just ringing off with someone.

"You're back!" she exclaimed, surprised. "Syd! I thought you were still sick?"

Sydney smiled. "I got better, thanks to a wonderful nursemaid."

"Actually, Karen helped," Nigel offered. "We may well have starved to death hadn't she come to the rescue."

"Oh, it was nothing," she assured and picked up a stack of colored notepaper. "You guys have a ton of messages." She offered them to Sydney. "I sorted them in order of importance, I don't think there's anything really urgent."

"Holy crap!" Sydney accepted the messages grimly. "Now I know why I don't take sick days."

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Syd."

"Thanks, Karen." She sighed and waved the stack of papers. "I'll be in my office making some calls, would you hold any new ones unless they're urgent?"

"Sure, absolutely! I mean...that's what you pay me for, right?"

"Right." Sydney frowned at her, wondered why her secretary seemed so nervous and then headed towards her office. "Nigel, could you get me a coffee, please?"

"No, but I shall get you a juice from the cafeteria."

"I want coffee!"

"Juice."

"Fine, whatever!" She opened her office door and muttered. "Coffee nazi."

"For that I shall make it prune juice," he called after her and smiled when she waved her hand and disappeared inside her office, already sorting through her messages.

"I...I'll go get the juice, Nigel." Karen insisted quickly. "Would you like a coffee?"

"Better not, I might be hanged if she smells it."

Karen tried to smile, but her heart wasn't in it. "Tea then," she offered and hurried out.

She wished they had called first, she'd have been better prepared. She was still feeling ashamed over her behavior from yesterday, although Nigel didn't seem to be the least uncomfortable, which only made it worse. he was probably being a gentleman, as usual, or it meant that he didn't consider it anything significant, and why should he? After all, she was just being, sweet, devoted, helpful Karen Petrusky, right?"

She almost walked into a student coming down the stairs, muttered an apology and headed for the cafeteria. She should have just gone, left the lasagna and left again, but no, she couldn't help herself around Nigel Bailey.

Sydney had been very sick and Nigel had looked like the walking dead when she showed up at the loft. Her maternal instinct immediately kicked in and she sorted the few items she had brought with her and heated the lasagna, making sure Nigel sat and ate something. She went a little overboard, admittedly, setting the table, lighting the candles and putting on some music while they ate, but Nigel deserved a reprieve from his chores, didn't he?

They had shared a meal and she had asked about the wedding, but Nigel didn't say much other than it went fine. She admired his ring, and while doing so had started to massage his fingers. Then she rose and started to work on his shoulders. He just looked so tired, she was just trying to comfort him.

When he laid his head back against her, his eyes closed, she hadn't been able to resist. It was only a kiss, just a kiss, but then Sydney cried out and Nigel had pulled away as if burned.

Guilty for taking advantage while her friend was ill, she offered to go tend to Sydney, but Nigel had denied her and said something that broke Karen's heart to pieces, even if he hadn't meant to. He'd said Sydney was his wife and he would take care of her.

As he headed upstairs to do just that, Karen ran out with a list he had prepared for more groceries and returned shortly after to put them away. She found Nigel upstairs comforting Sydney, who must have had a nightmare in her feverish state. The devotion and tenderness he showed Sydney made Karen's earlier slip seem unforgivable, and so she had left the groceries on the counter and quietly left.

"Is that all?" a nasally student asked from where she stood behind the cash register in the university cafeteria.

Karen returned to the present with a start, looked down at the orange juice and tea she had picked up. "Um...yes...That's all." She paid for the beverages and quickly headed back to the Ancient Studies office.

She didn't know what had come over her at Sydney's apartment, but she was ashamed, deeply ashamed of her behavior. She had taken advantage of Nigel's exhaustion, an exhaustion brought on by caring for their friend lying ill in bed upstairs. It had been wrong, and inappropriate and she just knew that she should apologize to Nigel. But how do you apologize to the man you adore for basically being a harlot?

"Ms. Petrusky!"

She spun around, startled and almost spilled the tea she was carrying, despite the secured lid. "Dean Kowalski!"

"I understand that Professor Fox and Nigel have returned?"

"Um...yes...yes they have. Sydney's been sick, as I told you and..."

"Have them come to my office immediately!" he snapped and walked off.

"Oh crap," she muttered and headed back to the Ancient Studies office. She quickly gave Sydney and Nigel the message and the pair headed up to the second floor, to see the Dean of the University.

"What do you suppose he wants?" Nigel asked, worried.

"Probably just to see that I'm okay," she assured. "I've never taken a sick day, I probably worried him."

"You worried the hell out of me, too!"

She smiled as they entered the Dean's Office and Patty, his secretary told them to go on in. They entered and Dean Kowalski rose from his desk. He was a highly educated and formidable retired military man , tall, dark, with cropped graying hair and a muscular physique; noticeable even beneath the three piece suit he wore. The school had thrived with him at the helm simply because he didn't put up with any nonsense.

"Close the door," he requested quietly and slipped his hands behind his back.

Nigel closed it and remained close to the door as Sydney moved further into the office, while the Dean had been very friendly with them on most occasions, the man still made him nervous.

"You wanted see us, Sir?" Sydney asked.

"Yes!" He glanced around Sydney and eyeballed Nigel. "Front and center, Mr. Bailey. None of this skulking about."

Nigel quickly moved up beside Sydney and exchanged another worried glance with her. It had to be bad, they hadn't even been asked to sit down.

Dean Kowalski started to pace, his hands firmly clasped behind his back. "I'm very disappointed in you both," he began. "I understand I haven't been here as long as you two have been working together, but I get a sense of people and I am never wrong." He stopped and glared at them. "Never." He continued to pace. "I'm a by the book fellow, I find it easier to maintain disciple and harmony if you follow the dictates set in place. So when someone came to me and told me that my two best people were breaking university rules..." He again stopped and glowered at them.

Sydney and Nigel visibly flinched.

"I told them _impossible_!" Kowalski bellowed the last word and Nigel started so badly he almost soiled himself. "Not Sydney Fox and Nigel Bailey. Those two are a credit to the university. Not only that, but I'd come to think of them as my personal friends. They would never, never break _my_ rules."

Sydney finally found the courage to intercede. "It...it isn't what you think, Sir." She hesitated and had to work not to flinch or lower her eyes when he turned on her. She wasn't easily intimidated but damn it, their jobs were on the line. "I...I mean...well...there..."

Nigel's eyes widened in panic, he had never seen Sydney stammer. They were doomed!

"You are aware of the no fraternization policy in this university?"

"Um...we...we thought it was more...a...an unspoken rule..." Nigel stammered.

"Rules are rules!"

Nigel's mouth quickly snapped shut.

"Let me see them!" The Dean snapped and caught both of their left hands. His expression darkened at their rings. "So, it's true! You're both married!"

"Dean Kowalski...Roger," Sydney tried again, she couldn't tell him the truth, the man used to work for the government and would certainly not agree to their little plan to keep Nigel working in America. "People have been fraternizing.. well forever here and we...we didn't..."

"We just wanted it private, Sir," Nigel offered timidly. "We...we know about the rule, but we...we thought..."

"If we kept a low key no one would be the wiser." Sydney finished.

"And you thought that was a good idea did you?" Kowalski sneered as he wandered over to the window. "You thought being secretive and evasive would keep you safe and sound, hmm? No one would be the wiser?" He turned suddenly. "No one keeps secrets in my house! Not even the great Sydney Fox. Now you've forced my hand, both of you! I can't show favoritism, I must take necessary action against such a blatant disregard for the policies set forth in this university."

He walked back to his desk and pressed his intercom. "Patty, is their paperwork prepared?"

"Yes sir."

"They'll be coming out for it."

"Are...are you saying we're fired?' Sydney gasped, shocked that this could happen. Everything they had been through had been for nothing. Nigel would surely be deported if he didn't have a job, marriage or no marriage. "You can't fire us! I've been here for fifteen years, Nigel's been here almost a decade. You can't just fire us because of some stupid rule no one has ever listened to!"

"Dean Kowalski, this isn't Sydney's fault!" Nigel interceded. "She did it for me and she shouldn't have to lose her job over it. If you want to fire me, fine, but you can't possibly mean to fire Sydney. You will never find anyone to replace her, to do what she does, and you have to know that! She's provided this university with countless relics, worldwide contributors and far more financing than any public university on the planet..."

"You're both dismissed," Kowalski said as he turned back to the window. "Pick up your packets at the front desk."

Sydney and Nigel exchanged a confounded glance. It was obvious the discussion was closed. Finally, they turned away and left.

"Syd!" he said the minute they were in the outer office. "He...he can't do this? Can he?"

Sydney stepped up to Patty's desk and accepted the large manila envelope and the pitiful look the Dean's secretary offered. "I guess they can," she muttered and stared at the envelope in her hands in sad disbelief.

"I...I can't believe this," Nigel moaned as he reached for the office door, loathe to open it, to leave, for it would be their last time. "Syd...I'm so sorry"

She shook her head and was working on keeping her tears back. She touched his arm, then nodded and he opened the door.

"SURPRISE!"

Sydney and Nigel almost fell backwards into the office as the crowd of students and teachers started singing 'Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Bailey!' while someone threw confetti and others started tooting horns.

"W...what?" Nigel began, even as they were pulled out into the crowd and guided to the side exit door where the parking lot was full to capacity with more students and faculty, as well as the school band who started playing "Here Comes The Bride.

"What...What's going on?' Sydney asked in shock, even as students and teachers hugged them and shook their hands and ooed and awwed over her rose ring.

Nigel felt a tap on his shoulder and he turned to find Dean Kowalski grinning down at them. "Now, you didn't really think your little secret would stay a secret, did you?" he asked mildly. "Not when everyone was rooting so hard for you both."

"S...Sir?"

"I lost the pot," Kowalski admitted. "I was betting on at least another two years before you kids finally admitted to what everyone else already knew."

Nigel was dumbfounded. "K...Knew...Sir?"

"Why, that you were meant for each other, of course."

Nigel flushed to his toes and couldn't think of anything else to say, but Sydney finally found her voice and spoke for him.

"So... we're not fired?"

"Of course not!" He laughed. "I'd be a fool to let either of you get away." He moved in to kiss Sydney's cheek. "Besides, you're family. You know that."

"How did..." She waved at everything.

"My niece, also a student here, works at city hall, in licensing. When she told me your names came across on a request for a marriage license well...We've had this arranged for several days, just waiting for you too to get back here." He patted her cheek. "You could have just asked for time off for a honeymoon, you didn't have to pretend to be sick, Sydney."

Sydney flushed and hated herself for it. "Then...what's this?" she asked holding up the envelope.

"Open it and see."

She did and pulled out a multitude of congratulations cards with hundreds of signatures, along with one long thin envelope. She slit the end and pulled out the cashier's cheque.

"That's from all of us, Professor," one of her students announced as Sydney's eyes widened at the amount. "Since you weren't registered we thought it could go towards your honeymoon or something."

"I...I..." She didn't know what else to say so she looked at Nigel, who was looking dazed and more than a little uncomfortable.

They couldn't accept money from these kids and co-workers, not when their marriage was a fraud, but if they declined it people would ask why and they could risk blowing Nigel's chances of getting his visa.

"Syd..." He shook his head, lost for what to do. Beyond touched that everyone was so happy for them, but overwhelmed by guilt that it was all a lie.

"Speech! Speech!" someone called out and everyone quieted.

Sydney cleared her throat, stared at the cheque and then at the crowd of people before her. She had never felt so loved, so appreciated, and she never felt so undeserving of that love and appreciation.

"I...We can't thank everyone enough for...for being so sweet and...generous." She looked at the cheque again, aghast, and then an idea came to her. "Nigel and I have everything we need, so to say thank you for all your love and support, we'd like to donate this money to go towards rebuilding the new library wing."

A cheer went up among the crowd, for half the library had burned last fall due to bad wiring, and the university had been trying to gain funding to rebuild.

"Then let's get this party started!"


	8. Chapter 8

DISCLAIMER: Relic Hunter characters do not belong to me, all others do. Short chapter, next one is much longer. Please, please review.

**CHAPTER 8**

After Sydney and Nigel had managed to pry themselves away from the crowd of well wishers, Sydney was pulled into an impromptu conversation with two other professors, while Nigel beat a hasty exit.

He entered the office and Karen immediately rose from her desk.

"I didn't know about what the university planned," she insisted. "I'm so sorry, I never said a word to anyone."

"It was the Dean's niece that let the cat out of the bag," Nigel replied moving over to his desk. "Word was bound to get out and…" He shrugged as he settled in his chair. "This will give more credence to our relationship if immigration starts snooping around."

Karen nodded and walked over to him, hesitant. "Um…Nigel?"

"What did Syd do with her messages?" he wondered then rose again and entered her office to pick up the stack. He returned to his desk and started sorting them in two piles, ones that Sydney had to speak to personally and ones he could take care of for her.

"Nigel?"

He glanced up at her.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Karen. How were you to know all that was going on? Syd and I didn't even know." He shook his head. "We thought the Dean was actually sacking us."

"No. I mean, yes, I'm sorry for that too, again, but I mean…" She perched on his desk then stood up again and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry about…about before."

"Before…what?"

She waved her hand. "B…before. At Syd's, when she was sick." Was he really going to make her say it?

He continued sorting the messages. "I don't recall anything happening at Sydney's, other than a lovely and kind woman offering some much appreciated comfort and assistance." He paused and studied a message from a name he recognized. He scowled, balled it up and tossed in the trash. Sydney didn't deal with private collectors.

The urge to throw her arms around Nigel and give him a big kiss was strong, but Karen resisted as she remembered how horrible she had felt for the last day and a half. "Thanks Nigel."

He shrugged and gave her the smaller stack. "Could you put these on Syd's desk please and I'll deal with the rest?"

Karen noticed that he had whittled down the stack to only four messages for Sydney. "Can I help?"

"Thanks, but I've dealt with most of these people before, I know what to tell them."

She nodded and placed the selected messages on Sydney's desk then returned and tried to make up for her behavior, despite his easy forgiveness. "I was thinking, do you and Syd have any pictures together?"

He glanced at her, startled. "I don't know. Perhaps a couple taken at school functions, why?"

"Well, I was just thinking that it would be good if you had framed photo's to display in Syd's loft, in case the investigators show up and ask why you don't have any. Any real couple would have pictures of themselves."

He nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. I hadn't thought of that." He pulled out his laptop, which he had automatically brought with him from Sydney's loft, because if it was one thing he had learned working with Sydney, it was to always be prepared. "I may have some on here, let's have a look."

Karen pulled over a spare chair and settled beside him as he powered up the computer

Almost an hour later, Sydney walked into the Ancient Studies office and found her assistant; she paused and corrected, her _husband,_ and their secretary hunched over Nigel's laptop. She shivered a little and swallowed. It just didn't sound right calling Nigel her husband.

The overwhelming support from the university had thrown her emotions into overdrive; the fact that everyone seemed to expect her and Nigel to be a couple, that they never batted an eyelash at them getting married and seemed happy for them. Sydney never considered the gossip that might have been circulating about them.

Hers and Nigel's relationship had always been platonic, and always would be. She didn't understand why people couldn't accept that, but for the moment it was good that they didn't, for it gave more ammunition to use to keep Nigel in the country.

She glanced down at her beautiful rings and it gave her the courage to push past her misgivings and remember why they were doing all of this in the first place. "Well, I like that!" she cried, causing both of their heads to pop up. "Not married a week and you're already cheating on me!"

Nigel grinned and, probably for the first time ever, Karen blushed bright red. "As if you leave me any spare time to have an affair!" he tossed back and squeezed Karen's hand; the girl almost looked ill. "She's teasing, relax."

He understood why their secretary was feeling guilty, but he didn't believe it was warranted. She'd showed up at Sydney's to help, not to hurt, and she was being her usual caring self. He had been exhausted and probably grumpy and so greatly appreciated her little dinner for two. She'd even lit candles, but he was sure it was just to help him relax, it was her way offer him comfort.

He hadn't seen the warning signs until she'd started massaging his shoulders, but it had felt too good to ask her to stop, and then she was kissing him. He'd been too surprised and frankly, too dead on his feet to react, until he heard Sydney cry out and his concern for her, pulled him back to his senses.

Karen had offered to tend to Sydney, and he'd made some odd comment, which he couldn't recall now, but whatever it was had caused Karen to pale and stammer. She'd left while he was still upstairs, and at some point returned with groceries, but he hadn't realized she was feeling guilty about her actions until today.

When she actually blushed at Sydney's comment he knew she regretted her actions, but honestly; it wasn't as if he and Sydney were in a real relationship. He wanted to assure her that she'd done nothing wrong, but was loathe to bring up the subject, as he was not very adept at discussing matters of the heart. So instead, he'd decided move past it and act as if nothing had happened; a skill that Sydney had taught him to use well.

Sydney grinned and stopped at his desk. "What are you doing then, looking so secret and suspicious?"

"Karen pointed out that we should have some personal photographs of us, together, Syd," Nigel explained as he turned the lap top around so Sydney could see. "We're going through some of the photos I've taken on our hunts…"

"He has some of you," Karen interrupted, recovering quickly from her earlier embarrassment. "But hardly any of him, or both of you together."

"Well," Sydney reasoned. "He's usually the one with the camera."

She perched on his desk and scrolled through the ones they had found. There was several of her in different locations, as he usually tested the camera on a shot of her to check the lighting before snapping any relics. "Can we take some of you and Photoshop them, Nige?"

"We could try, but most of the ones of you are in different locations and I only have a few of myself here at the school and home in London." He scowled. "It might not look realistic, even with editing."

"What about the ones from the wedding?"

"I had them printed," he advised. "They're on your desk awaiting your decision."

"He wouldn't even let me see them," Karen pouted.

"Sydney sees them first and you can see them after."

"Good idea, Karen." Sydney grinned. "We should have some of us together other than the ones at the ceremony." It puzzled her that they didn't have any pictures of the two of them, especially after so many years working together. "In case they decide to look around or ask us for proof of our fidelity to each other." She leaned in and scratched Nigel under the chin. "Right honeybun?"

"Hey!" He slapped her hand away with a grin. "That name is reserved for one person and one person only," He paused. "Right, Sweet cheeks?"

"Arrgg!" She laughed. "Okay, no honey bun and no sweet cheeks." She poked her tongue into her cheek. "How about Melonhead?"

"No cause to be rude!"

Karen laughed at both of them as the phone rang. She hurried over to her desk to grab it as Sydney walked around to Nigel's side and leaned over his shoulder to review the pictures.

"Where did you take this one?" she asked peering at a picture of her holding onto a cave wall, doubled over in laughter. "I don't remember this."

Nigel checked the date on when the picture was uploaded and searched his mind for the location. "I…think it was in Peru." His brows knit it thought as he zoomed in the picture. "Yes, definitely Peru. When we were after the Spear of Able."

"Oh yeah?" Sydney envied Nigel's near perfect recall in most cases. "What was I laughing at?"

"We ran into Stewie on the trip, remember? He'd pushed past us to get into the cave and startled a porcupine coming out."

"Oh God!" she grinned. "He…he turned and ran…" She started to laugh as she remembered the sight of Nigel trying to pick the numerous quills out of Stewie's hind quarters.

Nigel grinned at her, realized her cleavage was a little too close to his face and quickly turned his attention back to his laptop. "He didn't try to get ahead of us for the rest of the trip." He started scrolling again, trying not to think about the effect her perfume was having on him. God, she smelled fantastic! "Here…" He cleared his voice at the sudden squeak. "Um…here's another memorable one."

Sydney looked at the screen, and gaped at him. "Nigel!" The picture on the screen was her in a mud pit fighting with another woman. "Where did you get that?"

"Derek made me take it!" he giggled and ducked as she swatted at him. "It was too good to pass up!"

She grinned at him and delighted in the twinkle in his eyes. They had been searching for the Paracelsus scrolls with Derek Lloyd and she ended up in an altercation with a rogue agent named Turley. Unfortunately, their fight ended up in a mud pit while the two men stood by and enjoyed the show.

"Delete that!" she warned.

"Not a chance!" he laughed and quickly changed to the next slide as Karen returned to them.

"Syd, you have a call from a Walter Mareau. He won't tell me what it's about, but he says it's urgent."

Sydney's eyebrows rose. "I haven't heard from Walter in years, so it must be." She waved at Nigel as she rose. "Let's go see what he wants."

Nigel smiled at Karen. "See if you can find anything useful, please?" he asked indicating his laptop, before following Sydney into her office.

Karen settled at Nigel's desk and perused the photos.

Sydney walked around her desk, dropped into her chair and picked up the phone. "Walter! How are you?"

"My dear Sydney, how nice to hear your voice again. I am not interrupting anything am I?"

"Absolutely not. What can I do for you?"

"A parchment has come to my attention regarding Andor's Jewel and I was wondering if you might have a look at it? It doesn't specifically say where the jewel is, but I have other research that might lend some light and if anyone can figure it out it would be you, my dear."

"We'd love to check it out for you, Walter. Can you send us a fax of the parchment?"

"Well, it is very old and brittle, Sydney. I don't want to risk scanning it. Could you and Nigel perhaps fly over?"

"I'll have my secretary make the arrangements and we'll both be there with bells on."

"Oh, thank you! Now I am excited. I must run. Best to Nigel and kisses to you, dear girl"

"Okay, bye Walter." She hung up and quickly filled Nigel in.

"That's great! Walter has made Andor his life's work. It would be fantastic if we could find it for him." He paused and smirked. "Of course, that would put our shopping on hold."

"Oh shut up!" Sydney grinned, knowing he wasn't the least bit disappointed. She rose, grabbed the envelope of photos he had left on her desk and slid them in her satchel. "Have Karen get us the next flight out, I'm going to run up to the lab, see if they can lend us a good processing light for he parchment."

"Don't you think Walter will have one in his lab?"

"I like to bring my own."

"You mean, the university's own?"

"What's ours is theirs." She grinned. "What's theirs is ours."

"Oh really?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "And in which category do I fall, ours, or theirs?"

Sydney kissed him lightly on the lips, startling him. "Mine," she admitted and flounced out.

Nigel stared after her, shocked, and then slowly grinned.


	9. Chapter 9

DISCLAIMER: Same as the last seven…Hope you are enjoying. Thanks Celeste and Hazygirl for your commitment to reviews. Everyone else, please let me know what you think too.

**CHAPTER 9**

Sydney slid back the elevator door and stepped into her loft with a sigh. "Home." she dropped her bags on the floor and headed straight for her refrigerator. From the side freezer she retrieved a large tub of Maple flavored ice cream and retrieved a spoon from the drawer. As if as an afterthought, she glanced at Nigel and grabbed another spoon.

Maftet was whirling about her feet and Sydney quickly scooped out a few spoonfuls of the ice cream into a bowl and set it on the floor for the animal, then nodded at Nigel. "Come with me."

Nigel closed the elevator door, set their bags down and did as he was told, curious. They had just gotten back from a hunt where they ended up being chased, betrayed and almost killed through the entire journey. He wished that Sydney had decided she was too ill to go anywhere after the impromptu party the University had They managed to recover Andor's Jewel for Walter, who was overjoyed at the find and saw to it that it went to the Cairo museum, but now they were both jetlagged and exhausted.

He followed Sydney over to the work-out area, watched her walk inside, set down the ice cream and spoons by her Jacuzzi, then switch on the jets. His eyes widened as she tied her hair up and stuck what looked like a chopstick through it, then started to strip.

"Um...Syd?"

She held up her hand to silence him, pulled off her clothes and tossed them, then climbed into her Jacuzzi. She sank down to just above her collarbone, grabbed up the ice cream and scooped up a delicious spoonful. "Get in," she said around the cold treat.

Nigel had lowered his eyes as she undressed and now looked at her warily. "I...I can't do that!"

"Have to." She moaned as she took another spoonful. "Relic Hunter Protocol 101." She closed her eyes to give him some privacy. "Go ahead, I won't peek."

"B...but, Sydney...You...you're...we'd both be..." Naked! She wanted him to get into a hot tub with her naked! Had she lost all her senses?

"Get in, Nigel!" She smiled as she heard him swear, and then seconds later the rustle of his shirt being removed. "You'll thank me for it."

"I doubt that," he grumbled and stripped down to his briefs, he just couldn't take everything off, then quickly stepped into the water. He sank down to cover himself and had to physically resist the urge to groan. It did feel fantastic on his aching muscles.

Sydney opened her eyes, pleased to see him sitting opposite her, grabbed the other spoon and handed it to him, then offered the tub of ice cream over the bubbling water. "This too."

He frowned at her and took a spoonful of ice cream. He shivered a little as the cold of the desert mingled inside his body with the outside heat of the water. "Um...oh...well, that's different."

She grinned and scooted to the seat next to him so they could share, ignoring the panicked look he shot her. "Awesome, isn't it?" She took another bite and sighed. "I do this every time I come home."

Nigel tried to keep his eyes above the waterline as he carved out another portion of ice cream with his spoon. "No wonder you never seem tired or worn down the next day at work."

"Hmmm." Sydney took another bite of ice cream, and then handed it to Nigel as she sank down in the water up to her neck. "Got to take care of the body as well as the soul, Nige."

He couldn't help but smile at the utter contentment on her face as she closed her eyes and sighed again. He helped himself to two more spoonfuls of ice- cream before reaching sideways to set it on the small drink-bar above the tub.

"You're horrifically spoiled, Syd," he teased as he too sank up to his neck and bit his lip to keep from moaning. The jets were hitting him right at the base of his neck, where it was the sorest. "This is heaven."

"I earn my spoils," she murmured. "But I'm happy to share."

Nigel's smile widened as he closed his eyes and they both just soaked away their aches and pain.

After almost an hour in the tub, he realized that he was getting hungry and the ice-cream wasn't cutting it. He opened his eyes and saw that Sydney had hardly moved from her position. Her eyes were still closed and he decided to take the opportunity to exit the tub.

He spotted a folded towel on a small stool on the opposite side of the tub, glanced at Sydney again to make sure that her eyes were still closed, then quickly rose and stepped out. He wrapped the towel around his waist, and pulled off his sodden briefs from beneath it, and then accidentally shot them across the room in fright when she spoke.

"There's more in the cupboard, can you get me one too, please?"

He glared at her as she started to rise too far out of the water for his comfort and quickly moved towards the wall cupboard. "I thought you'd fallen asleep," he said, trying not to make it sound like an accusation. Had she watched him climb out of the tub? Did it really matter? It was Sydney after all, and she was hardly shy; not like him.

As if reading his mind, she stood up from the water just as he returned and he almost knocked himself out trying to shield his eyes from all that delicious flesh while holding the towel in her general direction.

"Sydney!"

Sydney smiled, stepped out of the tub and wrapped the towel around her body. "Thanks, sweetie."

He opened his eyes and scowled at her. "Impossible woman," he muttered as he retrieved his jockeys, along with his other clothes and dropped them in her hamper. He then started to gather her clothes as well, but hesitated over her lacy bra and thong.

"Nigel, you don't have to pick up after me," she smirked, picking up the small tub of ice cream and the spoons.

"Don't I?" he retorted forcing himself to snatch up her unmentionables and throw everything into the hamper. "It's what I do, isn't it?"

"No, it's not." Sydney frowned, did he really think that? "You're my partner not my maid." She set the ice-cream down and walked over to put her hands on his shoulders, his bare shoulders. "Nigel, do you think I take advantage of you?"

"What?" He shook his head. "No, of course not."

"Then why did you say that?"

He lowered his head, ashamed for snapping at her. "I…I'm sorry, Syd. I never meant it…not that way. I don't know why I said it." He remembered that they were both wearing towels and nothing else and he became uncomfortable again. "Could…could we just…um…put some clothes on and…and discuss my grumpiness later?"

Sydney's regarded him for a long moment then she moved away. "Okay." She headed out of the work-out area and started up the stairs.

"I…I'll, um… dress down here," he offered as he retrieved his suitcase that was leaning against one of the walls, he still hadn't had time to really unpack anything.

"No, up here."

"But you're dressing up there."

"You can dress in the bathroom." She paused halfway up the stairs, expectantly. "So we can talk."

Nigel muffled a moan and hauled his suitcase up the stairs and into her bedroom area.

"At least we got back at a decent hour," she said as they reached the top of the platform.

"We are _not_ going shopping," he refused as he dropped his case on her bed and pulled it open.

"Not even a little online surfing?" Sydney moved to her dresser and immediately dropped her towel as she rummaged for a pair of underwear. "I have a few antique sites bookmarked on my computer..."

"Sydney!"

She glanced at him, saw he was facing the wall and smirked. "You don't like antiques?"

Nigel crossed his arms over his chest and tried to control his temper. "You do recall that you said you would try and keep your clothes on while I was here, right?"

"Habit!" She took pity on him and quickly grabbed a robe which lay across her bed. "Sorry, Nigel." She was used to being alone in her loft, or with someone who had already seen her naked.

He peeked back to see she was covered and turned around relieved. "Please don't misunderstand, because you are a...a beautiful woman and you no doubt have a...a fan…um...nice body, but I...I just..."

She walked over and touched his bare shoulder. "It's okay, I get it and I'm sorry. I have to get used to this too, so if I do something that makes you uncomfortable, just tell me. Okay?"

"How am I supposed to do that?"

She considered his issue with forming words when flustered and realized he might not be able to explain himself. Rather than risk him hurting himself trying, she had an idea. "Red light."

"Sorry?"

"Red light. That's what you can say when I do something you find uncomfortable."

"Oh." He had a feeling he would be using the term a lot. "Thank you, Syd." he nodded gratefully and pulled out slacks and a pull over.

"You're not going to put those on, are you?"

"Yes. Why?"

She glanced at the clock on her wall; it was just past eight in the evening. "Are you planning to go out again?"

"I never know, working for you."

She smirked and pulled the clothes away from him, leaving him holding only a fresh pair of jockeys. "Where are all your pajamas?"

Nigel flushed. She bought him sleepwear almost every year for Christmas, but he wasn't overly fond of them. He preferred to sleep in the bottoms or just his shorts, as he became to hot otherwise. He seemed to recall putting them in a box with his winter clothes when he was packing.

"I…I can't wear them, Syd."

"Why not?" She was still rummaging through his suitcase. "They're comfortable aren't they?"

"Oh yes," They were comfortable, he would give her that. "I…I just…" He couldn't take it anymore, watching her toss about his clothes and completely destroying the order he had everything in. "Stop. Stop!" He pulled her hands away and closed the case. "You're killing me."

"How? What am I doing?"

"I…I just…I don't go through your…unmentionables like a freight train, do I?"

"Sorry." She smirked and clasped her hands behind her back. "But there's no point in you putting street clothes on when we're not going back out." She paused. "Unless we are going shopping, and then…"

"I…I think they're in a box somewhere," he admitted quickly. He did not want to go shopping.

"You don't like them?"

"No. I mean I do! I just…" They were convenient to have on a hunt whenever they ended up having to share accommodations, certainly, but he rarely wore them at home. He tried to remember that this was her home and he would have to adjust. "It just seems…um…rather decedent to put them on before actually getting into bed."

"We're allowed to be decedent, Nigel." She stepped into her walk-in closet and reached above her head to the shelf. Pulling down a shopping bag she returned to the bed and pulled out the new set of pajamas. "You can wear these then."

"Where did these come from?"

"I bought them for you for Christmas."

"That's months away."

She shrugged. "I like to shop early."

He sighed and accepted the night-clothes. "Thank you, Syd." He paused. "I'll…go put these on then, shall I?"

She smiled. "I can't wait to see them on you."

He headed into the washroom and tried to avoid banging his head on the sink. More bloody pajamas. Didn't she know of anything else to buy? He supposed he shouldn't complain, she did give him some awesome birthday gifts.

"Hey Nigel?" she called as she dressed in the bedroom.

"Hmmm?" He pulled off the towel and quickly stepped into his underwear and then the dark blue pajama bottoms. He had to admit, they were comfortable

"What do you do?"

"Sorry?"

"What do you usually do after a hunt?"

"When's that?" he called back as he pulled on the matching shirt. "In that infinitesimal space between grading papers and being hauled half way across the world again?"

"Oh come on, it's actually been slow lately."

He bobbed his head in agreement. They had been traveling less, that didn't mean work at the university slowed down. "Perhaps we've found everything there is to be found?" He heard a thump against the door, possibly a pillow. "Hey now!"

"There's always one more relic to find, Nigel."

"I reckon." He ran his hand through his hair and checked his reflection. After three days he could really use a proper shave, but he figured it would wait until the morning. "Are you decent?"

"Depends on who you ask!"

He shook his head and stepped out to find she had donned a long green satin nightgown and matching robe.

"Better?" she asked, twirling for him.

"Lovely."

She laughed and stepped into a pair of black Isotoner slippers that formed to her feet. "That color looks great on you! I knew it would."

"Hmmm." He still felt awkward and uncomfortable, so he opened his case and plucked out a terry-cloth robe. He pulled it around him and cinched it tightly at the waist. Yes, much better.

"You're going to get too hot," she warned. Disappointed that she couldn't admire his pajama's more.

"I'll be fine." And most of all, he felt more secure and less naked. Even though the pajamas covered him, they were a ridiculously thin material.

Sydney shrugged and let it drop as she started to brush out her hair. "So? What do you do?"

"When?"

"When you get time off after a hunt."

His eyes widened. "I get time off?"

"Nigel!" she tossed another of her decorative bed pillows at him and he dodged it.

"Violence begets violence, Syd." He tossed the pillow back on her bed as she grinned.

"What do you do when you get home, to relax?"

"Shower, eat, sleep, in that order."

"That's it?"

"What else is there?"

"You, sir, are a creature of routine. Don't tell me that's all there is to it."

"Sometimes I read, or do some more research if it's warranted." He shrugged. "What difference does it make?" He wasn't in his home; he was in hers, so what he did at home in his flat was irrelevant.

"What do you eat?" she insisted as they headed back down stairs.

"Food, usually."

"Nigel!"

"Do you ever stop talking?"

She poked him for teasing her. "Don't make me hurt you."

"Why is it so important?"

"Because, I want you to feel at home here for as long as we have to…do this thing, and that includes you enjoying your routines as much as I enjoy mine.

"Syd, really there is no great secret. I come home, I take a shower, order some take-away, because usually I am too tired to cook, then I either go to bed after I eat or I watch a movie or read awhile."

"You don't call up a girl and ask her to come over?"

"No."

"Never?"

"Syd…half the time we're back from a hunt ridiculously early or abhorrently late, who do you think would be up at that time?"

"Okay." She shrugged and decided not to comment that she'd never had an issue finding company. "So what do you want to order for dinner?"

It struck Nigel that they would be having all their meals together now and it felt ridiculously intimate. He adored Sydney, really, and there wasn't anyone he would rather spend time with, but he'd gotten used to having his meals alone, unless he was taking a bird on a date and they ate at a restaurant. Even that was rare, as they almost always ended up back at her place, or his, for after dinner sex and then he never heard from them again. It couldn't be his technique, the women always seemed more than satisfied, but you could never tell.

Sure, he and Sydney went to dinner on special occasions, or ordered food in when they were tied up grading exams, but it wasn't the same as having breakfast, lunch and dinner with someone, every single day.

"Nige?" Sydney was concerned when Nigel had grown quiet, and, because they knew each other so well, she managed to ascertain the problem almost immediately. "Or you can order take-out and I'll cook something for myself and get to my online shopping."

"No, that's…" Unnecessary? Unwarranted? He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable in her own flat, but he was used to doing certain things alone.

He was a creature of habit, but habits were personal and while she was his best friend and she knew most of his ways, there were some things she didn't know. "I don't do anything…um…special…"

"It's fine." Sydney assured and started back up the stairs. "I have some work to do in my office anyway, so just do whatever you like, I won't interrupt."

Nigel felt as if he had been punched in the stomach. He hated that she guessed his concern, and why wouldn't she? They were kindred spirits, weren't they? They knew each other's likes and dislikes, their passions and fears, the way the other thought and reacted to certain things, but not everything. No one should know everything about a person. There had to be a line drawn somewhere.

"Syd…" He started up the stairs after her. He hadn't meant it to turn her away, he would never do that. "It isn't that I… We could eat together…we do eat…I…"

"It's okay, Nigel. I get it. I do."

"I've hurt your feelings, I didn't mean to."

She paused at the top and shrugged, it was useless to deny her feelings, or that he'd see that she'd been hurt by his quiet reluctance. "It's okay. This is all…A little overwhelming. I get that."

"It truly is."

"And we probably should have some rules so we each get our privacy."

He nodded, seeing the wisdom of her words, but feeling miserable that he caused her to hurt in any way.

"So we'll figure them out and things will be better, more comfortable."

He watched her disappear across her bedroom, and then spotted her behind the glass walls that held her office, which was just above her work-out area.

He returned to the living room and retrieved his cell phone.

Sydney could see Nigel wandering around downstairs, but pulled her attention away and settled at her desk. She hadn't meant to put him on the spot. Despite everything they did together in the field, she knew he was an intensely private person at heart, as most Englishmen were. They would have to find away to co-habit without stepping on each other's toes.

She opened her personal E-mails and winced. One hundred and thirty. Good grief! She automatically prepared to send them to Nigel, and then remembered these were her personal account, not her work account. She sighed and went back to scrolling.

The first dozen or so were advertisements that made it through her spam filter, and that was only because she had her filter set on low, so she wouldn't miss any sales from the stores she was registered with.

"Zap, zap, zap," she said as she deleted the first three. "Nope, don't want a weekend for two in a city that doesn't exist. Don't need to improve my web browsing experience." She paused over the next one. "Penile Enlargement, huh?" She zapped it. "Only if it comes attached to a hot guy and only if they deliver. OOhh, shoe sale!" She quickly clicked on that link and spent the next several minutes browsing the site.

She finally found her way back to her inbox, after ordering two pairs of shoes that she absolutely didn't need but had to have, and managed to answer twenty-two personal messages. She deleted about ten more spam messages and looked at her inbox count, sighing. This was going to take her forever. There were some E-mails in there from two months ago and she cringed.

She heard the intercom below buzz and Nigel's voice answering it. She ignored it, told herself to let him have his quiet time, and shrank her E-mails to the corner of her computer and opened a new window to surf the net for antique sales.

She hated answering E-mails so she always let herself get distracted. Besides, she'd only surf for a little while then she'd go back to her blasted messages.

She was engrossed in the details of a beautiful floor lamp when a hand touched her shoulder and she almost jumped out of her skin.

"Easy," Nigel grinned, also startled. "What has you so intent?" He looked over her shoulder at the lamp. "That's quite nice."

"I was thinking about it for the corner by the window."

He nodded. "It would go well there." He winced at the price. "A little steep isn't it?"

"I can use the money I won from black-jack."

"Ah." He saw her hotmail icon in the corner and shook his head at the waiting number of messages that blinked beside it. "Checking your E-mails?"

She lowered eyes, repentant. "Some."

"Sydney," he chided. She was horrible responding to anything that wasn't work related.

"There's too many!"

"Because you don't check them often enough, so they keep multiplying."

"I ordered some shoes," she admitted.

"Was that in your E-mail?"

"The flyer for the sale was."

He grinned. "Then I suppose that counts."

She returned his smile, glad that they were okay again. "Why don't you answer them for me?"

"They're not from my friends."

"They won't know any difference, just reply like you think I would and give me the thirty second run down."

He pulled back and crossed his arms over his chest. "You, Sydney Fox, are horribly spoiled."

"I am not!"

"You are!" he insisted and sighed, knowing he had only himself to blame, for it was habit now that he take on most of the mundane and even those not so mundane for her, to free her for more important things.

"So…you won't answer my E-mails?"

"What if they're…personal?"

"Of course they're personal, what difference does that make?"

He glowered at her. "No."

"Nigel!"

"Fine, I'll go through them in the morning, but I won't read them. I'll mark them as important based on the subject line, any that I think are irrelevant I'll add a quick reply and delete." He shook his finger at her. "However, you will start checking them more often and dealing with them, because I am only doing this once." He paused. "I'm your partner not your maid, remember?"

"Absolutely." She held out her hand. "Deal."

"Your promise?"

"I promise. And any that you think I need to read just print out, I can read them on the fly and reply later."

"Fine." He took her hand. "Come with me please."

"Why?"

"Because I asked you too."

She logged off her computer and followed him back through her bedroom and down the stairs where the familiar aroma of fresh fish and chips wafted towards her. She saw that Nigel had turned her sofa recliner on an angle to better see the television, and two steaming packages of food waited on the coffee table, along with two bottles of beer.

"Nigel…" She began, appreciating his generosity but wanting him to understand it wasn't necessary.

"Hush." He had lowered her pot lights to a soft glow, and settled her on the sofa. "Fish and chips for the lady." He set first a placemat from her table in her lap, to protect her thin nightgown and robe, then the cardboard plate of fish and chips. He handed her a fork, put one of the beers in the holder at her side, then collected his own meal, sat back and switched on the television. "Our main feature tonight is The Princess Bride."

Sydney's eyebrows rose, he knew it was her favorite movie. "Nigel, this is very sweet, but I don't want to intrude…"

He reached across, plucked one of her fries from the tray and popped it in her mouth. "There is no talking during the movie. You may eat, laugh, and quote along if you absolutely must, but no talking."

She grinned and chewed her french fry. "Thank you, Nigel."

"Hush."

"You're the bestest."

"Sssshhh."

"I love you."

"Likewise, now do be quiet or you'll be sent to bed without supper."

"Okay." She separated a piece of her fish and ate it, God it was good!

"Syd?"

She looked at him.

"It's not an intrusion, it's a habit, but I'd much rather do this with you, than with anyone."

Sydney beamed at him. "Likewise," she murmured, her heart tingling from his words.


	10. Chapter 10

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. Read, enjoy and review. Please, please, Please! Thanks!

**CHAPTER 10**

"Wait!" Nigel suddenly cried.

Sydney stopped in her tracks, thinking something was wrong.

They had found the Chalice of Zeus; a cup that had been used for worship to the Greek God Zeus at his temple in Olympia, but which had been lost for centuries. A Greek businessman wanted the cup for his collection, and had hired mercenaries that had been on their tail almost from the moment they landed in Greece.

Now, they just had to get to the train and they were home free, but their competition had run them out of the marketplace and into the outskirts of Athens.

"What? Are they behi...Eerk!"

Nigel grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards the waterfall.

"Nigel! What the hell…" He spun her around, pulled out his camera and tossed his arm around her.  
"Smile, Syd."

She tilted her head towards his and smiled automatically as the camera flashed, then he was pulling her back to where they were running earlier. "What the hell was that?"

"Proof!" he replied with a grin as he pocketed his camera and glanced back at the Greek henchmen chasing them. "I thought it was a nice spot for a picture."

If she hadn't been so tired from running she would have laughed.

They darted across a bridge that spanned a wide river, then Sydney caught Nigel's elbow and pulled him beneath the bridge as the Greeks ran over top.

She shoved Nigel under the water and she indicated they crawl along the bottom back the way they had come. Soon, however, the current started to pull them the way they were going, and they could no longer hang onto to the shallow rocks at the bottom.

They burst through the surface just in time to see the river pouring downwards away from their sight.

"Swim!" Sydney cried and tried to move against the current, but it was too strong. She watched Nigel go over and she followed right after.

Luckily it wasn't a large drop, maybe ten feet or so into the swirling pool below and Sydney surfaced first. She saw they were much farther down river and their unwanted company was nowhere in sight.

"Nigel!" she cried, as she swam towards the shallow water. "Nigel!"

"Here!" he called as his head finally appeared above the water. He followed her lead and swam sideways until he could touch the bottom.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I think...Sydney!"

"What?" She spun back towards him, saw him standing stone still where the water was just below his hips.

"I…I think something's swum up my trousers."

"It's probably just a fish…"

He shook his head and his eyes widened as he felt the creature slide through his briefs. "D…definitely not."

Sydney's eyes widened as she realized what else it could be. "Don't move."

"D…does shaking in fear count?"

She stepped up. "I'm going to have to look," she warned as she unbuckled his belt and carefully put two fingers in the waist band of his trousers.

"Wait!"

"Why?"

"I...I..."

She glared at him, now was hardly the time for modesty. "Don't move."

"N…Not," he assured.

Sydney carefully pulled the waistband of his cargo pants out and peeked down, raising an eyebrow. "Oh crap."

"What? What crap? What's crap, Sydney?"

She lifted her gaze to his. "It's a water snake." And it was half way inside his underwear.

His eyes grew to saucers. "What do I do?"

"Well…you could wait and see if it gets bored and slides out?"

"And if it doesn't? Do I really want it to continue to swim around in my trousers?" Nigel's voice was starting to shrill with hysteria.

"Calm down. I…I'll have to pull it out." She released the snap on his cargos and carefully pulled down the zipper.

"C…can't I just take them off?"

She shook her head. "The movement will startle it and he might bite you." She looked him in the eye as she pulled out the waistband of his briefs, where the snake was now nestled. "Ready?"

"Not in the least!"

Sydney started to peer in and Nigel squeaked. "What?"

"D…don't look!"

"I have to look to see where it is!"

"C…can't you just…um…try and catch it w…without looking?"

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Fine." Slowly, inch by inch she slipped her hand inside, searching for the little beastie. "I think I got it!"

"NO!" Nigel squeaked "You don't!"

"But it feels…"

Nigel caught her by the shirt front, his one and only movement. "That's _not_ the snake!"

Sydney bit her lip, hard, to keep from laughing as she realized her mistake. She fished around some more. "Slippery little sucker," she muttered as every time she thought she had a hold of it the snake it slipped away. It was extremely hard for her to focus on the snake and not Nigel's considerable endowment.

"Hurry," Nigel moaned trying not to think of either the snake or Sydney's hand roaming around inside his underwear and found it hard to ignore either. He wondered which he would die of first, a bite by the creature or the humiliation of Sydney essentially feeling him up?

"Got it!" she yanked the snake out and tossed it. "Move!" They both ran for the shore, and Sydney couldn't keep back her laughter any longer.

Nigel dropped down on his knees, still shaking. "This isn't bloody funny!"

"Oh come on, it was a little funny."

He glared at her.

"Maybe it was a girl snake and she was lonely," she teased. Women would stand in line if they knew what she just learned about her shy, modest Englishman. She might even be one of them. "Come on..." She put her hand on his shoulder.

He shrugged her off and climbed the rest of the way up the bank, both of them were soaked to the skin and filthy, and he still felt like the damn snake was in his trousers. "I'm so delighted to be your source of amusement!" he snapped as he fastened his trousers and hitched his belt.

Sydney could see he was mortified. "Okay, I'm sorry. I know that was scary."

"Yes! It was!" Although he didn't know which had been worse, the snake or Sydney's hand grabbing his… He shook his head and pushed it out of his mind. "C...check the cup," he managed shrugging his backpack off and tossing it to her as he dropped back on the ground.

She unzipped the bag and retrieved the priceless gold chalice that he had wound an extra shirt and some bubble wrap around. He was getting very smart about keeping the relics safe until they got them to a museum. "It looks okay." She put the cup back inside the bag and looked at him; his face had lost all color and he was visibly shaking.

Setting the bag aside she pulled him to his feet. "You're okay," she told him. "It didn't bite you did it?"

"No...I...I don't think so." He probably had been too terrified to notice. "God, do you think it bit me?"

"Do you want me to check?" All trace of humor was gone from her now; a snake bite was nothing to laugh at.

He shook his head. "No...no, I..." Having her blindly grope him was one thing, but he'd never stand up against a visual inspection. He winced at his own thoughts.

"You are hurt!" she said noticing his reaction. "I'd better check." She reached for his belt and he pushed her away.

"I...I'm fine. It didn't...I don't think it bit me." And frankly he'd rather die of a snake bite than have her look and find one and offer to suck... He winced again and flushed to his toes.

"Nigel?" She was worried now, his face kept changing color and he seemed like he was in physical pain. She caught his chin and lifted it until his eyes were level with hers. "I need to check if you were bitten."

"I can't, please, don't...don't ask me to..." He shook his head appalled.

Sydney understood his shyness, but she couldn't take the chance that venom at this very moment might be circulating through his veins. She picked up her satchel, which was luckily waterproof, and dug around inside of it. Finally she pulled out a compact and handed it to him. "Go over in those bushes and check, Nigel."

"But I..."

"Nigel, you check or I will." She pointed to the bushes. "Now!"

He took the compact and headed to the small bushes. "This is so demeaning," he muttered as he pulled down his trousers and his briefs, in the middle of the jungle, to inspect himself for snake bites with a woman's cosmetic mirror. A new low, even for him.

"See anything?"

"No."

"Are you sure. Do you need me to come over..."

"No! Just...just stay there I...I don't see anything." He pulled his pants up and snapped the compact closed. Nope, no holes here except the ones that were "I think I'm okay."

Sydney nodded and absently checked the leather strap around her neck, inside of her wet shirt which held her engagement ring. She had gotten into the habit of securing it there when they went on a hunt, out of sight from thieves and to keep it safe.

"We need to find our way back to the road."

"Won't they be looking for us, Syd?"

"Yeah, but the road is the only way to find the train station."

He nodded, grimly, and shrugged the bag back on his shoulders.

They walked for another hour, fortunately without any further company, and arrived back at the market place. Sydney spotted two of the men that had been chasing them earlier and pulled Nigel back behind a vendor cart.

"They're looking for us," he sighed. "How is it there are always more bad guys? Do they send out a casting call or something?"

Sydney smirked, spotted a clothing cart and held out her hand. "Money."

Nigel didn't hesitate; he pulled out his wallet and handed her several bills in the local currency. "Ah...now I feel like a husband."

She grinned, relieved that he had forgiven her earlier behavior. "Stay here."

He watched her dodge behind another vendor, an older couple in Hawaiian T-shirts and shorts, and then stopped at the clothing cart. She purchased several items, then ducked back the way she had come.

Nigel kept a close eye on their enemies and an even closer eye on Sydney as she made her way back to him. She caught his arm and pulled him in between two concrete buildings.

"Put these on," she ordered handing him a long, colorful dress.

"God, not again!"

"They're looking for a man and a woman, not two women."

"Why must you always pick to female costumes?" Nigel grumbled and pulled off his back pack and shirt. "Why can't you be a man for a change?"

She smirked as she turned her back and pulled her top off over her head. "I thought I was pretty close already?"

"Very funny." Nigel pulled on the dress, and was relived at least that it hid his trousers, so he wouldn't have to take them off, not that it would matter as they were still quite damp.

He turned back around and saw Sydney had donned a long flowing purple skirt and a criss-crossing blouse.

"Tie me up?" she asked offering him the fastening strips at the back of her shirt.

"I'd wager I'm not the first bloke you've said that too."

"Oh shut up." She grinned. "Make sure it's secure; I don't want to fall out."

"Who do you think I am?" he retorted, even as he complied. "Dallas?"

She plopped a large women's hat on his head, and one on hers opened the now empty cloth shopping bag. "Put your knapsack in here and shirt in here."

Nigel did as ordered and watched her pile her clothes inside as well, then he looked down at his flat chest. "Syd, no one's going to believe I'm a woman."

"They will from a distance. Just try and keep your head down." She grabbed his hand and pulled him back out into the marketplace. "The train station is just on the other side of those buildings."

"Do you think we should split up?"

"No, a single woman in Greece would be more conspicuous."

He nodded. "Let's go then."


	11. Chapter 11

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, yada yada…Please review I am feeling very needy people! ;)

**CHAPTER 11**

Sydney stepped out of her jeep in a short black dress and red sequenced jacket, in front of the University's gymnasium. "Oh, they did it up very nice!" she admitted as she looked over the banners and lights outside announcing Class of 2012.

Nigel slid out of the jeep in a dark grey suit over a green silk shirt and a striped silver tie. "The students always do a great job for graduation, Syd."

She nodded and they headed for the front doors, waving at a few of the students as they passed.

A tall redhead ran up and threw herself at Sydney. "I graduated!" she squealed

"I know, Adele," Sydney grinned. "I was there this afternoon, remember?"

"I'm so excited." Adele threw her arms around Nigel for a quick hug, then back to Sydney. "I can hardly believe I got through it."

"You're Sydney's best student," Nigel countered kindly. "There was never any doubt."

She laughed, then to Sydney. "Can I borrow Mr. Bailey for a dance later, Professor?"

Sydney pursed her lips, not used to being asked, but then everyone believed they were now happily married. "Well, I don't know, you look pretty amazing in that dress, girl!"

"Pay no attention to her," Nigel insisted. "She's horrifically jealous when not the center of attention. I'll absolutely save you a dance."

Adele laughed, hugged him for a third time then ran off to find her friends.

"I do not get jealous," Sydney insisted, grinning.

"I know, but it keeps the farce going." He caught her arm just outside the doors. "Syd, I'm happy for the kids, really, but do we have to be here?"

"Yes, we do. It would break their hearts if we didn't at least put in an appearance."  
He nodded. They attended every graduation celebration; it was the one thing that came above relic hunting because Sydney's students meant the world to her. While often they had come alone, several times they had also brought dates. It seemed odd to attend as a couple, even if it was a make-believe one.

"I…After the surprise celebration I just…I feel like I'm under a microscope now."

"I know." She folded her arm through his. "We'll have to grin and bare it until this is all over with."

"Joy oh bliss," he muttered as a slow song started and Adele suddenly appeared beside them.

"Dance please?"

"Good God, you work quick!" he teased and followed her out onto the dance floor.

Sydney danced with a couple of her fellow professors while Nigel danced with Adele and then another student of theirs.

They took a break to grab some of the food and to have a glass of punch, then, just as they were settled at a table the announcer said that the next dance was for the newlyweds in the house and Sydney and Nigel felt all eyes upon them.

"Bloody hell," Nigel swore. This was what he had been afraid of.

Sydney rose. "Come on, let's get it over with and then we can cut out."

They moved to the dance floor to the sound of cheers and Nigel rolled his eyes, even as Sydney stepped into his arms and they immediately began to dance in perfect rhythm. He actually enjoyed dancing with Sydney, they were well matched and close to even height, so it was far more comfortable than some of the other women he had tried dancing with.

"Now I know how a goldfish feels," she muttered, trying to ignore all the eyes upon them. There were other couples dancing, but it seemed that everyone was looking at them.

"Sorry, Syd."

She shrugged and smiled at him. "Well, at least I get to dance with the cutest guy at the party."

"That's nice, thank you." He glanced around then returned his gaze to hers. "I'm the one to be envied, dancing with the beautiful and intelligent Sydney Fox."

Thank you, Nigel," she returned and pressed her cheek closer to his. "You smell good."

"As do you."

"So, here's a puzzle for you."

"I do love a good puzzle."

"I know. How is it, we two intelligent, beautiful, sweet smelling people are still single?" She pursed her lips. "Technically."

"Aside from the fact that we're hardly ever in the country, and have little time to expand a relationship, you mean?"

"Yeah, aside from that."

"Perhaps you're too picky."

"I beg your pardon?"

"No, I mean…well what I meant was that you certainly don't want to settle for just any old brute in a loin cloth that comes your way, right?"

She nodded in agreement.

"And I'm quite selective myself."

"Please!" She snorted. "You'd sleep with anyone who had long legs and big…"  
"I would not!" He lowered his voice and glanced around. "I wouldn't cast stones if I were you, Sydney Fox…"

"Fox-Bailey," she teased.

"Whatever," he dismissed. "What I am saying is I've seen some of your cast offs, and you are hardly one to scold me for enjoying a bit of snogging, when I can get it." She had the decency to blush and he continued. "Besides, I wasn't talking about sex, I was talking about relationships. I'm very selective on who I would consider to be spend my life with. There are plenty of women out there, but not all of them are marriage material."

"You married me."

"I did, didn't I?" He scowled. "Perhaps I'm not as discriminating as I thought."

She laughed and smacked his shoulder, then noticed that the song had changed to 'Kiss' by Prince and everyone was looking at them now. "Think they're trying to tell us something?"

"Unfortunately."

"May as well get it over with."

"Here now!" he protested. "One minute you're playing a lovely game and the next you're racking my balls, what's up with that?"

She threw her head back in laughter and Nigel flushed the minute the words were out of his mouth. "Well, speaking of pool, I think that's our cue." A spotlight was shining on them and the crowd was chanting for them to kiss. They'd managed to get out of kissing at the surprise celebration, because Sydney had been sick and insisted she didn't want to pass her illness on to Nigel. Now they had no excuse.

"I told you we should have stayed home."

"Ready?" she smiled.

"Not at all."

"Just…follow my lead."

"The last time I did that I was jumping out of a bloody plan…emmrrmhh." Nigel's eyes automatically closed as she pressed her lips to his, and for a minute he just froze, but a pinch from her reminded him where they were and he slowly returned her kiss.

Once again they seemed to lose track of their surroundings and the kiss became everything. Sydney moaned and opened her mouth wider, granting him better access as she coiled her arms around his neck. His lips were so soft, so gentle; and he knew just how to move them against hers; she couldn't get enough of them.

Nigel forgot who he was kissing and thought only that she tasted like a ripe succulent plum, or perhaps it was wine? Grapes? He was very partial to grapes and he couldn't help but want to taste more. His tongue slipped inside her mouth, searching, yearning for more and he heard her gasp, it was an unfamiliar sound, and yet he recognized it instantly.

Christ! He pulled away abruptly and stared at Sydney, who was looking just as stunned as he. The students around them clapped enthusiastically and whistled from witnessing their amazing kiss. He stumbled back, forgetting their secret, forgetting the students and his deportation. He needed air.

Sydney watched Nigel walk away towards the exit doors, and managed to turn and fan herself. "He's so shy! I need some air after that!" she said and hurried after her friend, partner and husband to the sound of laughter behind her.

She found him in the bleachers over the football field, leaning on the rails. "Nige?" She'd been rocked by the kiss too, but she was also sensible enough to know it was just chemistry.

"I'm sorry," he murmured and dipped his head, away from her.

She put her hand on his back. "We just got carried away." For the second time, she thought as she recalled their ceremony in Vegas. "It's nothing."

"No, Syd." He lifted his gaze to hers, his eyes shining with something very familiar, but never had she seen it in Nigel's eyes, and never when he looked at her. "I'm sorry because…because I want…" He wanted to kiss her again. He never wanted to stop kissing her and he knew that wasn't acceptable.

"Likewise, Nigel."

His head darted up in surprise. "W…what?"

She shrugged and decided to be honest. "I liked it, a lot." She grinned. "You're really good at it."

He flushed and smiled, but almost immediately his smile faded. "We can't, Syd. It would…it would ruin everything."

"I know." She sighed and faced the field as well. "I didn't think it would get this complicated."

"I did, but you never listen to me."

"I listen to you." She smirked and nudged him with her shoulder. "When it's important."

He nodded and clasped his hands together over the rail. "What are we going to do?"

"What we've been doing. Pretend to be married, do our work, go on the occasional hunt and hopefully when your Visa is granted we can sit back and laugh at it all."

"But, Syd…"

She turned to him. "It's just chemistry, Nigel. It's always been there, but we've chosen to ignore it, right?"

"Yes," he admitted. They'd ignored their attraction for almost a decade. How hard could it be to just continue to do so? "It's different with…with us always being together...so much now."

"I know." She turned around and leaned back against the rail, looking up over the bleachers that were usually packed during football season. "But we're adults, we control our bodies, they don't control us."

"Well…to be honest you do control mine most of the time, but that is neither here nor there."

She smiled and faced him. "See, this is why we're such good friends. We can laugh at ourselves." She tugged on his ear playfully. "We can do this, Nigel." They'd been in far more difficult situations.

Nigel grew quiet, allowed his eyes to linger over her for a single, distinct moment then lifted his gaze to hers. "So…one last go, before never again?"

She was in his arms before he had the chance to blink, her mouth hot and moist against his, his arms folded around her tightly, urgently, as they threw caution to the wind and kissed each other the way they had been yearning to for the last several years.

It was different from their earlier kisses, which had swept them away with a surprise of sensations. This kiss was electric, passionate and probably the most memorable kiss either of them had ever experienced, because they both were fully aware, fully invested and it made a world of difference.

Stars burst behind Sydney's eyes, things she only read about it romance novels were happening to her at that very moment and she couldn't get enough of it. Their lips meshed as if they had always meant to be together, their bodies pressed together in a fit that couldn't be found or measured anywhere else. It was heaven, it was utopia, it was better than any relic she had ever found!

Nigel was lost, hopelessly, seriously lost in the feel and taste of his best friend, and while his mind warned him to stop the madness, his heart, his body, refused to allow it. He'd thought of this moment for years, wondered a thousand times of what it would be like, and it was a thousand times more powerful that he had ever imagined. Ever fiber of his being had come alive at the kiss, every trick he'd ever known he poured into the pressure that he was applying, wanting…needing it to be as good for Sydney as it felt for him; and not even considering why he needed it to be that way.

Finally, they broke away, breathless and stared at each other, panting and speechless.

"Holy shit!" Sydney gasped and fanned herself.

"L…likewise." Nigel was holding onto the railing to keep from falling over, his legs were like jelly just from one kiss.

Sydney cleared her throat several times and then licked her lips, which was a mistake because she tasted Nigel on them and she suddenly wanted to do so again. "So…uh…so…" Why the hell hadn't they ever done that before?

"Right," he agreed and managed to straighten up. "Right." He didn't know what else to say. What else was there to say? He'd just kissed his employer, his partner, his best friend…and he was reeling from it. "Uh…I…I…" His brain refused to function. Why couldn't he get his brain to function?

Sydney had been kissed by many, many men and never had she been kisses senseless. God! She was suddenly boiling; her palms were drenched with sweat. "We…we should go…" To bed, to a hotel, behind the bleachers? "I…Inside."

"I…No…no, I…I need a minute." Nigel stumbled back into one of the seats and dropped his head in his hands. He was so painfully aroused there was no way he'd manage walking. "You…you go, I…I'll be in…um…later."

Sydney could perceive his problem, even in the dim overhead lights of the field and immediately wanted to help relieve the pressure he was feeling, but she bit the offer back and instead, dropped down beside him. "I do too," she admitted.

They sat quietly, for a long time, trying to regain control of their bodies, their feelings and both trying to reason out what the hell had just happened.

After awhile, Sydney shivered in the cool night air and almost immediately Nigel pull off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

She took a deep breath and released it. "Well, now we know."

"Yes."

"We…we can't ever do that again, Nigel."

"No."

Sydney swallowed the sudden flicker of disappointment that rose inside of her. "So…What do we do to…prevent it?"

"Not come to any more bloody school dances," he retorted and watched her smile.

"Okay, that's a good start. What else?"

"I've no idea, Syd." He sighed, relieved that his earlier arousal had finally dimmed. "It's all so…weird."

"I know."

Silence grew between them again.

"Well, only a week left of school," she offered quietly. At least they wouldn't have to contend with spectators anymore, she and Nigel didn't usually offer summer classes; and instead concentrated on relic hunting and seminars.

"My stomach hurts."

Sydney nodded, so did hers. Tight little knots that didn't seem to want to disappear. They needed to change the subject and dispel the sudden awkwardness between them. She stared down at her hands and the rings upon them. "I really love my ring."

He smiled at her. "I'm glad."

"It was very sweet of you to buy it for me."

"Yes well…you deserve something as lovely as you are, Syd."

She beamed at him. "If you keep up that kind of talk I don't think I'll be able to resist kissing you again."

His smile dimmed. "Sorry."

"No!" She turned to him, apologetically. "I didn't mean that. I'm only teasing."

"Yes but you're…right. I don't always think before I say things, especially to you."

"And I never want that to stop." She put her hand over his. "Nigel, I adore the sweet things you say to me. Do you know why?"

He held her gaze. "Because they're true?"

Her smile brightened. "No, because I know you're sincere. I know you're not saying them just to…you know…get me in the sack."

"Well, not before, anyway."

She laughed; he had a gift for breaking the tension. "I do love you."

"And I you."

"Just…not the way…"

He nodded and patted her hand. "Likewise, Syd."

She rose and pulled him with her. "Come on, let's go say our goodbyes and then we'll pick up a pizza, rent a movie and head home."

"Really?" he asked as she folded her arms through his and they headed down the shadowed isle of the bleachers. "Can I pick the film?"

"Absolutely."


	12. Chapter 12

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. Nice long chapter for y'all. Hope you are enjoying the story and that you keep the reviews coming!

**CHAPTER 12**

Sydney's intercom buzzed as she was pouring her morning coffee, and she walked over to answer it. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Bailey?"

"Who?"

"This is the address we have for Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Bailey? There was a pause on the other end "This is Agent Ross from US Immigration."

Sydney's eyes widened. "Oh…uh…we weren't expecting you. Come on up." She hit the release button for the door downstairs then tore across her loft towards Nigel, still sleeping on the sofa.

She had made good on her promise, they'd left the dance, ordered a huge Hawaiian pie, rented Sherlock Holmes, Game of Shadows and pigged out in front of the television when they got home. Nigel had fallen asleep towards the end of the movie and she had covered him with a blanket, before switching everything off and heading to bed. Neither of them had mentioned their kiss, and it didn't seem to be affecting their comradeship; for which she was glad.

"Nigel!"

Nigel started awake and suddenly found himself on the floor as Sydney ripped up the blankets and sheets that surrounded him. "Oy!"

"Immigration is here!" She tossed the bedclothes at him as he scrambled to rise, wearing just the pajama bottoms from one of the sets he found. "Hurry, get rid of these!"

Too alarmed to be shy at his lack of clothing he gaped at her. "Where?"

"The…the laundry!" She waved towards the work out area, as she snatched the bed pillow and threw it at him as well. "Hurry up!"

Awake barely enough to obey he ran across the loft and into the work out area, where he tossed the sheets in the hamper, the blanket in the washer then hurried back out. "Why didn't they tell us they were coming?" he demanded he caught the pajama shirt she tossed at him, one handed. "Aren't they supposed to call?"

She threw the decorative pillows that were on the floor back on the sofa in a haphazard manner. "Who the hell knows?" She growled as the buzzer of the elevator reached her floor. "Shit! Shit! Get upstairs!"

"Why?"

"You have to mess up the bed."

"Do what?"

"It needs to look like we were both sleeping in it!" She thought of something else. "And put your clothes away up there!"

"Where?"

"Figure it out!" she growled and watched him take the stairs two at a time, just as there was a knock at her loft door.

Sydney grabbed the pizza box, dropped it on the breakfast counter, made sure her robe was cinched, then took another quick glance around, and walked slowly to the door. As an after thought she messed her hair and pressed her lips together, hard to make them appear swollen. They were newlyweds after all.

She fixed a smile on her face as she slid the door open to the pair of agents. "Hi!"

The male agent was about Nigel's height, a bit of a pot belly, but nice eyes and a shock of thick black hair. The female was a tall woman, intensely pale, sporting large rimmed glasses and a scowl on her face. She wore a strict black skirt suit, her hair knotted tightly at the nape of her neck. "Mrs. Bailey?"

"Yep, yes. That's me."

"You didn't seem sure before?"

Sydney shrugged as they stepped into the loft as she slid the door closed. "Well I'm not used to it yet and…and I also kept my name, for my work…I mean."

"I'm Agent Ross, this is Agent Carter. We'll be conducting an interview with you regarding Mr. Bailey's status in this country."

"Yes, no problem." Sydney nodded.

Agent Ross regarded Sydney for a hard moment, and then turned her attention to their surroundings. "Is your husband here, Mrs. Bailey? I assume he remembers his name?"

Sydney laughed a little too loudly. "Yes, well, of course. Why wouldn't he?" She gestured to the living area, immediately hating Ross, but reserving judgment on Carter.

She watched the women immediately zero in on the few framed photos of them together that Karen had helped hang just the day before; including the spontaneous one Nigel took in Greece, and two from their ceremony in Vegas. She made a mental note to kiss Karen the next time she saw her for being right.

"We just got up a few minutes ago. Nigel…my husband is in the shower and will be down shortly." She paused. "Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee?" A saucer of milk and a can of Fancy Feast, she added silently.

Agent Ross settled in the recliner, her posture ramrod stiff. "No, we prefer to get to the interview as we have other people to visit today." She stiffened even more as Maftet walked towards her. The cat hissed and backed up, then darted up the stairs, as if encountering a mortal enemy. "If you could hurry your husband along?"

Sydney moved towards the stairs. "Ni…Um…honey?" she called up. "We have a visitor. Can you come down, sweetheart?"

"I'll be there in a minute, buttercup," he called back in the same sing-song tone that Sydney had used, meanwhile he was frantically hanging and shoving his clothes anywhere he could find a spot; trying not to linger over the lingerie he found in her top dresser drawer.

He suddenly remembered the bed. The covers were pulled back just on Sydney's side and the rest pristine, she didn't tend to move around a lot in her sleep. He ripped his suitcase off it and thrust it under the bed, then bounced around on the mattress and pulled at the sheets, messing it about as best he could.

Carter, who remained standing, glanced up at the quiet thumping. "What's that?"

"Probably the cat." Sydney settled on the sofa, and offered another smile, while she mentally urged Nigel to hurry up. "So…have you worked for immigration long?"

"Yes," the agent clipped as she pulled out a little black notebook from her briefcase and a file folder. "And I've seen every kind of scam Mrs. Bailey, so be assured if there is anything out of order here, I will find it."

Sydney glanced towards the stairs again, and rose. "I'm just going to put the coffee on, if you'll excuse me." Come on Nigel!

Agent Ross spoke in quiet tones to Carter, who bent to listen to her. It was obvious who was in control of their partnership.

As Sydney stepped into the kitchen, Nigel appeared at the top of the stairs in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. His feet were bare, but she waved at him from over the breakfast bar when he started down. She shook her head and indicated her hair and then sprayed her hands down, miming rain.

Agent Ross glanced up and caught Sydney in the act. "What are you doing?"

"I always meditate in the morning," Sydney said closing her eyes as she pulled her wiggling hands down in front of her again. "I'm washing away the tension. Just a few minutes makes the world of difference. You should try it, really."

"I've always wanted to try meditation, but I find it difficult to sit still that long," Carter admitted, pulling Ross's attention to him as Nigel spun back around and darted back upstairs.

"It's a great way to center yourself in the morning," Sydney assured, then disappeared from the window

Nigel appeared on the landing again, this time drying his hair, wet from sticking his head under the sink. "Hi, sorry I was…in the shower." He jogged down the stairs, Maftet matching his stride and extended his hand to the agent. "I'm Nigel Bailey."

"Agent Ross," she announced rising to quickly shake his hand and then settled back in her chair. "This is Agent Carter." Nigel quickly shook the agent's hand as Sydney returned and kissed his cheek.

"Coffee's on."

"Thanks luv," he smiled as Maftet wound around his legs until he picked her up and stroked her fur.

"If you'd like to have a seat we can get started."

Nigel settled beside Sydney, set the cat on his lap and she immediately reached for his free hand.

"We'll just ask a few joint questions," Carter advised as he settled in the adjacent chair. "Then we'll separate you for personal interviews."

Nigel's hand squeezed Sydney's in panic. He didn't want to be separated from her. What if he said something stupid and ruined everything?

"Fire away," Sydney replied, still smiling and noticed that Maftet had started to purr loudly beneath Nigel's caresses.

"I see here you were married only six weeks ago?" Ross pinned them with a suspicious stare. "Seems rather convenient, considering Mr. Bailey only received notice of deportation around that time as well."

"There has to be a mistake with that," Sydney insisted. "Nigel's been working for me for almost a decade and has done everything he is supposed to retain his visa…"

"I'm not here to discuss that, Mrs. Bailey, I'm here to judge your relationship and confirm if a hearing should go forward." She looked at Nigel. "Or, if it is only an attempt to keep an illegal alien in the country."

Nigel felt Sydney squeeze his hand and bit down on his retort, knowing it would only make the situation worse. "I'm not hiding from anything," he assured. "I came to this country to work for Sydney, as I have every right to. I've done everything I was asked to do…"

"Including getting married to your employer?" Ross refused to break eye contact with Nigel, searching for weakness. "Was that in your terms of employment, Mr. Bailey or was it just a perk?"

Sydney bristled as Nigel flushed. For such a prim and proper looking woman, Ross had a trash mind and mouth. "Nigel and I have worked together for many years, Agent Ross, and naturally we've become quite close. We didn't plan on it happening, but sometimes it does and we're very grateful that it did."

Ross continued to try and intimidate Nigel. "And what exactly is, _it_?"

Sydney answered. "We don't have the words for what _'it'_ is, Agent. If you'd ever felt _'it'_ you would know how difficult '_it'_ is to explain."

Ross barely flinched as she looked at her files. "When is Sydney's birthday?" she asked Nigel.

"October 21st."

"What is her favorite color?"

"Black."

"What size shoe does she wear?"

"Seven and a half."

Ross seemed mildly perturbed that Bailey didn't even have to think about the answers. She'd known couples married for years that stammered over such easy questions. He was well prepared, that was certain. Still, he could be making up his answers and Fox would just agree with whatever he said, she'd seen that too.

She switched tactics. "What's your husband's favorite movie?"

Sydney blinked. "Uh…" She looked at Nigel. "I don't think you have a favorite, do you?"

He did but now was not the time to contradict her. "Not really."

"What's his favorite color?"

"Green." She was guessing and then smiled. "Well, that's my favorite color on him, anyway. He looks great in green."

Nigel smiled at her. "I'll have to wear it more often then."

Ross ignored at their display of affection. "What brand of aftershave does he use?"

"I don't know the name," she admitted. "But it smells great." She looked at Nigel. "You get it in London, don't you?"

He nodded. "It's more a lotion than an aftershave, I have sensitive skin."

She smiled. "Still smells awesome."

"What's his favorite food?"

"Kraft Dinner!" she cried, relieved she finally got one right.

"Ah, another KD'r." Carter smiled. "Welcome to the club. That stuff is addicting isn't it?"

Nigel released a small laugh, mostly out of relief for the man breaking the tension Ross was creating.

Ross suddenly turned on Nigel. "What sort of underwear does your wife wear?"

He blinked and flushed, not in embarrassment, but in anger that the woman would be so blatantly rude. "I'm usually too busy taking it off of her to notice, Agent Ross. What kind are you wearing?"

Sydney's hands flew to her mouth to tried and stifle her bubble of laughter at Nigel's outrageous and totally unexpected answer. "Um…I'm going to get us some coffee." She looked at the agents. "Can I get either of you a cup?"

"No," Ross answered for both of them and then rose. "I think it's time for the individual interviews. Carter, you take Mrs. Bailey." She looked at Nigel pointedly, noticing that he had risen when she had and gave him points for being a gentleman, despite his earlier comment. "Is there somewhere we can conduct your interview, Mr. Bailey." She glanced upwards. "Upstairs, perhaps?"

Sydney suspected the witch just wanted to snoop around. Nigel glanced at her and she nodded. "You can use my office, it's enclosed."

Ross pulled a clipboard with forms from her briefcase and handed it to Carter, then picked up her case and indicated that Nigel lead the way. "After you, Mr. Bailey."

Nigel sent Sydney a troubled look, but started up the stairs with the agent close behind.

Sydney watched until they reached the platform and moved out of sight, then bit her lip.

"I'd love a cup of coffee, Mrs. Bailey," Carter requested. "Why don't we do this in the kitchen, a little less formal?"

She smiled at him but couldn't stop worrying about Nigel. "Sure. Follow me."

She headed into the kitchen, almost stepping on Maftet who darted in ahead of her and started meowing loudly. "Yes, I know. It's your breakfast time." She glanced at Carter. "Sorry, this will just take a minute."

"No worries," Carter assured unbuttoning his suit jacket and settling at the table as he watched Sydney put fresh water and food in the cat's bowl. He set the clipboard aside. "Sorry to have pulled you both out of bed." He grinned as Sydney moved to pour them two cups of coffee. "I know how it can be with newlyweds."

Sydney smiled as she fixed her coffee. "Cream or sugar?"

"Black is fine, thanks."

She picked up their mugs, but couldn't help glancing towards the stairs again, just before she settled at the table.

"He'll be fine," Carter assured accepting his cup. "Ross can be a little intense, but if your relationship is legitimate then you have nothing to worry about."

That was the problem though, wasn't it? They weren't legitimate and she worried Nigel would panic and let the cat out of the bag. "Nigel gets…flustered around women sometimes, especially strong, intimidating women."

"He doesn't seem flustered around you."

She shrugged. "We've been together a long time." She sipped her coffee. "It's hard for me to remember a time when Nigel wasn't with me."

"You're close?"

"Very!" Great, now she was the one slipping up. "I mean…of course we are, we're married."

"No, I mean you were friends first." Carter sat back and crossed his ankle over his knee. "Sometimes that makes a better couple, to be friends first and lovers later."

Sydney nodded. "He's my best friend," she admitted.

"And you'd do anything for him, wouldn't you?"

She responded automatically. "Anything." Her eyes narrowed as a skip of panic ran through her at how easily she'd been caught. "Wouldn't you do anything for the person you loved, Agent Carter?"

"Absolutely." He smirked, sipped his coffee and nodded. "Although I would draw the line at marrying them just to keep them in the country."

"Nigel and I love each other." Sydney straightened, fear making her angry. "What do we have to do to prove it to you people? Post an erotic video on You Tube?"

He shrugged. "Couldn't hurt."

"So we're guilty until proven innocent? Is that it?" Sydney slammed her cup on the table and glared at him. "Is this what you do, Agent? You come into people's home, invade their privacy and try to embarrass them into divulging some intimate secret that you can share around the water cooler?"

"That's what some agents do," he admitted calmly. "Ross, for example, is a social pariah. She suspects anyone and everyone and works hard to prove that love doesn't exist. She's probably suspect her own husband, if she had one." He shrugged "Me, I'm more realistic. I could care less who you're sleeping with, Mrs. Bailey. This job is just a stepping stone for me."

"And what does that mean for us?" Sydney demanded.

He set his coffee down and picked up the clipboard Ross gave him and started checking off items as he continued to speak. "It means, that you don't have to worry about my report, only the one Ross submits." He scribbled something on the clipboard, and then tossed it aside and picked up his coffee. "She's has a lot more authority than I do, unfortunately, and she picked your husband to interview because she sensed he was the weakest link."

Sydney stared down into her coffee, knowing that Nigel wasn't necessarily weaker; he just wasn't as good at fielding questions. "He's not weak," she murmured. "He's the bravest person I know." She looked at Carter, appreciating his honesty. "He's the kindest, gentlest, warmest man I have ever met and he doesn't deserve to be subjected to someone like Ross."

Carter nodded. "You're probably right. Pity things don't always work the way we want them to."

"So, what are you putting in your report?"

"That you two seem very in tune with each other's needs, moods and feelings so you're obviously close and that in my humble opinion, your relationship is genuine."

She beamed at him. "Really?"

He nodded and offered her his cup. "And for another cup of that coffee I'll even draw a happy face and suggest no further visits are required."

Sydney hopped up to fill his cup. "You got it!"

Nigel crossed his arms over his chest as he watched Agent Ross look over the bedroom, step into Sydney's closet, then go through her drawers. He felt it was a direct invasion of Sydney's privacy, but didn't want to do anything to tick off the rigid woman, so remained silent. He was glad he had managed to mix his clothes in, anyway.

"Um…the…the office is through here," he said for the third time as Ross moved to Sydney's vanity and reached for the music box in the center. She started to open it and he moved to snap it shut. "Please! That was Sydney's mother's and is private."

She looked at him. "Does she keep secrets from you, Mr. Bailey? Surely, as her husband, you know everything about each other?"

"Being married does not mean you can't show respect for someone's privacy," he returned. "And if it does then it certainly explains the high rate of divorce in this country."

Ross moved away from the vanity and lingered around the bed. "Did you sleep here last night?"

He flushed. "What do you think?"

"I think this is a very messy bed." She turned to him. "Are you so turbulent a lover, Mr. Bailey, or do you let your wife do all the work?"

Nigel wanted to throw up. Why did she have to insist on separating them for the interviews? He didn't know what to say so he remained silent.

Ross pursed her lips and moved towards the archway that held Sydney's office. "Is it difficult being married to your boss, Mr. Bailey?"

"No," Nigel replied following her into the office with some relief. He glanced out through the glass but couldn't see Sydney or the other agent and he frowned.

"So she's the boss at work and at home?"

"We're partners." He winced. "I…I mean…we…I work for Sydney, yes, but I…We share…um…decisions and…and things at home. In…In our personal affairs." Another wince. "Um…life. Our personal life."

"I see." Ross set her briefcase on Sydney's desk. She pulled off her glasses and reached back to pull two pins from her hair, letting it cascade down over her shoulders. "Ah, that's better." She smiled at him, which made Nigel even more nervous. "Relax, Mr. Bailey. This doesn't have to be difficult." She retrieved her notepad and settled on the antique chaise, patting the space beside her. "Come along and we'll make this quick."

Nigel sat next to her, reluctantly.

"Now, you've worked for Professor Fox for nine years, correct?"

"Eight years and seven months," he replied and watched her smile again.

"Only someone in love would be so precise." She glanced at her notepad and chewed on the end of her pen as she crossed one long leg over the other, causing her skirt to ride up on her thigh. "Do you like living here, in America?"

"Yes, I do."

"Don't you miss London?"

"Not really, we get back there quite often, for work."

She nodded and seemed pleased. "That's good. It's hard being away from home, but it makes things easier if you're somewhere where you're just as comfortable."

Nigel was trying to figure out what had caused such a change in the agent. She was practically amiable now. "I love working at Trinity, and being here. I like that you get all four full seasons here."

She smiled. "I'm from Washington and all it seems to do is rain."

"London is the same." He returned her smile and felt himself relax. "I've been to Washington a few times. They have some lovely monuments."

"Well, it is the country's capital." She turned back to her note book. "Can you tell me the last romantic thing you did for your wife?"

"Oh…um…"

She put her hand on his knee. "It's okay. I understand it's hard to tell these things to a stranger, but we have to be thorough."

He nodded. "Um…well…" He racked his brain, wondering if he should create a situation or tell the truth. Something romantic for Sydney, that he did? "I…I suppose her engagement ring. I purchased a ring for her that she had secretly desired but thought too expensive…and she seemed very surprised when I gave it to her."

Ross smiled again. "That beautiful rose ring I saw on her finger?"

"Yes. She really loves it and her…her whole face lit up when I gave it to her."

"That is very sweet." She made a note. "Anything else?"

"Um…I brought her breakfast in bed," he said, thinking about the soup he had tried to get her to eat when she was sick.

"That's a sure winner." Ross jotted it down, then set her notebook and pen on her lap and unfastened her waist jacket. "Do you mind? It's quite hot up here."  
Nigel shook his head, and was surprised when she shrugged out of the jacket, revealing just a black lace camisole beneath. His eyes widened at the size of her breasts, and he wondered how big was the jacket that she'd had those so well hidden?

She picked up her pad again. "Now, where were we?"

"R…romance."

"Yes, romance. What size bra does your wife wear?"

"S…sorry?" he squeaked.

"Well…" She dropped the notepad and cupped her ample breasts. "Would you say they were smaller or bigger than mine?"

"Um…I…I…." Good God! He tried to pull his eyes away from her massive cleavage. Was that really a question Immigration needed to know? "I…s…slightly… um…smaller…I…I think."

"You think?" she frowned. "Surely you've held them often enough to know for sure?" She took his hands and placed them on her breasts. "Now, what do you think, larger or smaller?"

Nigel was sure his body was going to burst into flames from the intense heat flushing through him. "I….Um…is…do you…um…really need to know that?"

"It's a simple question, Mr. Bailey," she replied in her no-nonsense tone.

God! God, where was Sydney? Should he refuse to answer or would that make this woman angry? Was this really how the government conducted interviews? "I…smaller," he said and snatched his hands back as if burned. "Sydney's are…s...smaller." He watched, horrified as she noted it down. "Are…are we almost done?"

"Not quite yet." She ran her hand through her hair and re-crossed her legs again, pushing her skirt even higher. "What is your wife's favorite position, Mr. Bailey?"

"Her what?"

Ross set the pad aside again and leaned forward, trapping Nigel with her body, when he automatically leaned back to avoid her. "Missionary, doggy style?" She leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Sixty-nine?"

Nigel started to shake. Was this woman actually coming onto him or was she just trying to rattle him? "I…I don't understand. What…what does that have to do with…with my Visa application?"

"Don't be coy, Nigel." She ran a long fingernail down his chest and moved closer, pressing her body against his. "I can see that you're in a fix and I've met many men in your situation. You're not the first to try this and you won't be the last."

"I…I'm not…"  
"If you give me what I want, I'll give you what you want."

Nigel would have jumped through the ceiling when she cupped him, had her body not been pressing him into the settee. "You…no…you…Sydney!"

"You like aggressive women, don't you, Nigel?" she whispered. "I can be aggressive." She captured his mouth, and then a second later screamed as something slashed across her cheek.

Nigel immediately rolled from beneath her as she shot upwards and spotted Maftet on the back of the settee, hissing and aggressively batting her paw at the agent.

Ross swatted at the cat, furious. "You little…Oww!" She yanked her hand back as the animal drew blood on the second attack.

"What the hell's going on?" Sydney demanded as she hurried into the office. Nigel's cry had been muffled by the glass surrounding her office, but she had heard it, and had immediately bolted up the stairs.

She was aghast at the scene before her. Nigel was half sitting, half lying on the floor, flushed, shaking and looking quite ill, while Agent Ross, whose appearance was remarkably different than it was when the she arrived, had deep scratches against her left cheek and right hand.

Sydney immediately ascertained what had happened, for it had happened several times before, with other women.

"Your animal attacked me!" Ross declared bolting from the settee and rounding on Sydney. "I'm ordering it put dow…UUGGG!"

Sydney's fist connected with the other woman's jaw and sent her flying backwards over the settee, as Maftet leapt away in time to avoid collision. "You bitch!" she growled, enraged that Ross would try that with Nigel, after such a rigid performance earlier. "I'll have you put down if you ever lay hands on Nigel again!"

Maftet had retreated to Nigel's side and hissed as Carter bent to give him a hand up. The agent immediately backed away and Nigel's hands dove into the animal's fur gratefully.

Ross scrambled to her feet. "How dare you!" she demanded, wiping at her bleeding lip. "You just made a huge mistake, _Mrs_. Bailey. You'll never see your precious boy toy again after I'm through giving my report. He'll be shipped back to England so fast you'll…." Sydney charged and Ross backed up so quickly she stumbled over the overturned settee again.

"No!" Nigel bolted from the floor and caught Sydney, using all his strength to hold her back. "Stop! Sydney, stop!"

"I've met women like you a hundred times, Ross," Sydney sneered, straining against Nigel's arms, which had wrapped around her in a vice grip. "You can't get laid the normal way so you prey on men that are already taken. Men too kind and desperate to properly handle a slut like you. But I know exactly how to handle you, c'mere and I'll show you."

"She's not worth it, Syd," Nigel insisted trying to keep Sydney in his grasp and away from ripping the agent apart. "Leave it, please!"

Ross shoved on her jacket. "You just signed his ticket home." She gave Sydney a wide birth, as well as the cat that hissed at her, and stomped out of the room.

Sydney's anger cooled as she realized what she had done. She turned in Nigel's arms, appalled. "Oh, Nigel. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…I was just…"

"I know," he assured and stroked her back. "Protecting me from all others."

She half cried, half laughed into his shoulder. She'd ruined everything.

Nigel wished he had stopped Ross in her tracks and just dealt with the damn woman, but he had been so shocked by her actions, and then too afraid to counteract her; for fear she would have him deported. Now it seemed a mute point.

"What have I done?" Sydney clung to him in despair. She was going to lose him. Her best friend, her partner, her sole mate! "She's going to send you back. That bitch is…" She pulled back and looked t him. "I'll move to England. I…I'll get a job there and…"

"Syd, you can't! Your life is here…"

"Not without you!" she moaned and was alarmed at how very real that statement was. She was terrified, physically terrified of him leaving her. "I can't do it without you."

Nigel felt tears well up in his eyes, for he would miss her so very much as well. He was used to working beside Sydney, used to helping her solve puzzles and work out her lesson plans. She'd given him experience and confidence, turned his life around. She was his life, really, and he didn't know what he would do if he had to go back to London and start all over again.

"We'll make it work," he insisted. "London isn't so far away. We'll make it work, I promise."

"You won't have to," Carter said quietly and they turned to him; forgetting he was still in the room. "My report will say that you are both very much in love and deserve to be together."

"But….You said Ross had more authority," Sydney moaned. "You said…"

"Yeah." He agreed as Maftet nudged Sydney's legs until she was picked up. "But that was before I had visual proof of conduct unbecoming a government agent." Carter lifted the I-phone that he had used to record the incident the moment that they had stepped into the office. "I can't guarantee it will push your Visa through, but after they see this, it will certainly not hurt your cause." He was also fairly certain that, given the emotional scene he had also recorded between the Baileys, the Englishman would have more people rooting for them.


	13. Chapter 13

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine but boy do I wish they were. Just a little snippet of emotional instability for our newly married couple. Please review.

**CHAPTER 13**

"Thank God!" Nigel sighed as they entered her loft and he set their bags just inside the door. He walked over and literally dropped onto the sofa. "I thought we'd never get here."

Sydney could relate. After an exhaustive search for an artifact known to belong to an African Zulu Princess, it had then taken them almost three days to get back home, due to hurricanes, broken jeeps, derailed trains and a group of angry pigmies. They were both filthy, exhausted and Nigel was probably starving.

She dropped her satchel atop the bags, kicked the boots off her aching feet and pulled off her grimy top. "I'm taking a shower."

Nigel weakly lifted his hand. "Me too."

"Don't you think you should get undressed then?"

"Hmmm…" He was already half asleep.

Sydney shook her head, pulled off her filthy pants and walked over to him. "Nigel?" He was out cold. He'd fallen asleep sitting up. "Poor baby." She unlaced his boots, pulled them off, then unbuttoned his over shirt and gently pulled him forward so she could get it off of him; he hardly moved.

She tossed the boots and shirt to the side and slid him sideways.

"Hmmm…Syd?"

"Sssh." She covered him with the cashmere throw she kept on the back of the sofa. "Go back to sleep."

A sure sign of his exhaustion was that he didn't try to argue with her, or even notice she was standing over him in only her bra and underwear.

She smiled, bent and kissed his forehead, then frowned and wondered why she did that? Shaking her head, she headed upstairs to take a nice long shower. It was well past one in the morning and they'd been traveling for almost twenty-four hours straight. She tried to think what her schedule was tomorrow, was it Friday or Saturday? She'd definitely lost track of the days.

She scrubbed herself clean, and then stepped out. She wiped away the steam on her bathroom mirror and smirked at the rolled up tube of toothpaste Nigel had left on the small shelf over the sink, next to her almost brand new tube. He squeezed every drop of paste from his tube, until it was barely half an inch wide and the end was rolled up tightly to the cap.

She opened the medicine cabinet and picked up the small bottle of cologne next to the lotion Nigel applied after shaving. She opened the cologne and inhaled deeply, smiling. His razor was next to it, along with a small, old fashioned shave brush and saucer. He used lathered soap on the brush, rather than the modern shaving creams.

With a sigh she closed the medicine cabinet and lathered on her body lotion, then stepped back into her bedroom pulled on a pair of loose shorts and a tank top and headed back downstairs. She had to eat something before she went to bed or she'd never get to sleep.

Maftet trailed after her and Sydney quickly fed her, then peered into the refrigerator to see if there was anything that wasn't expired to eat.

She heard Nigel toss around on the sofa, even asleep he found trouble getting comfortable on it. She'd gotten used to the sounds over the last three months, and had used Shiatsu on him several times because the sofa hurt his back. He didn't complain though, not really, but he wouldn't allow her go out and buy a sofa bed, reasoning it was too much of an expense for a temporary arrangement.

Making a mental note to again go for groceries, she turned to the cupboards and found a jar of peanut butter. With a peanut butter sandwich in one hand and one of Nigel's grape sodas in the other, she then switched off the lower lights and crept upstairs.

She opened the terrace doors, to let the air in; she needed fresh air on her face when she slept, then crawled into bed. She switched on her table lamp and out of habit picked up her TV remote for the small flat screen she had on the wall opposite her bed. Switching channels until she found an old black and white movie, she lowered the volume so as not to disturb Nigel downstairs and settled in.

Maftet curled up beside her and she fed the animal small bits of her sandwich, as she became engrossed in the movie. A short time later, she heard Nigel cry out and knew he was having a nightmare. She hadn't known he was subject to night terrors, he didn't seemed to have them while they were on a hunt; but they didn't always share sleeping accommodations.

Now that they were living together, she'd noticed he had a nightmare a few times a week. Even when she was asleep she was sometimes awakened by his moans or cries from downstairs. The first time she'd heard them she had run down to make sure he was okay, but he seemed embarrassed and more stressed at her being there afterwards, so she pretended she didn't hear him at night and stayed in her room.

She heard him get up and knew he was starting his after nightmare routine; based on what she had seen one night from her room. He would walk quietly around the apartment, muttering to himself, perhaps consoling himself or reasoning the nightmare away. Then he would prepare himself a glass of warm milk, drink it, put the glass in the dishwasher and then return to the sofa to try and sleep. She'd just barely make out his whispering as he worked complex math problems in an attempt to lull himself back to sleep.

Now she took notice of Nigel moving around in an effort to get comfortable again. That sofa was so bad for his back, and it wasn't fair that he had to sleep on it all the time. "We've slept in the same bed before," she said to her cat. "It wouldn't be such a bad thing for him to sleep here, right?" She scowled. This was her bed, not a random hotel or a sleeping bag, and it felt weird to even consider Nigel to share it.

She remembered their kiss, their forbidden kiss and wondered if she should even suggest it. Neither of them had made any kind of comment or suggestion to going further. They hadn't kissed again and things went back to normal, but she still thought about it. She thought about it a lot, and that fact disturbed her more than the kiss had.

"He probably wouldn't anyway," she decided. "He's too much of a gentleman." She heard him quietly swear and her heart went out to him.

They were both so tired and he deserved a comfortable place to sleep as much as she did. She always had her big, comfy bed to come home to, he had only the sofa as there had been no point bringing his bed over from his apartment; that would only raise more questions.

"Just one night wouldn't hurt, right?"

Maftet mewed and went back to washing herself.

"I mean, it's not like we're going to attack each other like animals, or something, ripping each other's clothes off and…" She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. That line of thinking wasn't helping at all. "We're friends," she reasoned. "And…besides that, we're married. Married couples are supposed to sleep in the same bed, right?" The cat stared at her. "I mean, this isn't I Love Lucy, right?"

Maftet lifted her leg over her head and turned away to lick her fur.

"You're no help," Sydney hissed and finally threw back her covers and slid off the bed. She walked over and peered down at the rumpled form on the sofa. "He even looks lumpy down there."

_**Don't do it**_**,** her conscious warned. _**You know exactly why you want him up here, Sydney Fox. You want him to kiss you again! **_"I don't," she denied. No, she didn't want another kiss, she was hoping for so much more…She slapped her hands on either side of her face and stepped away from the rail. "No. No. No. That's Nigel. Nigel was her friend, her truest, dearest friend and she was not going to make that mistake again!

Taking another deep breath she stepped up to the rail again. "Nigel?"

"Huh?" His head popped up over the back of the sofa, his hair already a mess from trying to get comfortable. "What's wrong?"

"Did you….um…would…would you…" Holy crap! She never stammered. "Um…good night."

"Night, Syd," he murmured and disappeared again.

She moved away from the rail and paced the length of her bedroom twice, before stopping beside it again. "Nigel!"

This time he didn't even pop up to see her. "Yeah, Syd?"

"Why don't you…" Say it. Say it you, coward! "C…come up here."

He sat up and looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing I…I just think you…um…should…sleep up here."

He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, then slowly dropped back onto the sofa. "Good night, Sydney."

Refusal? Really? He was going to refuse after all it took her to work up the courage…She growled and stormed down the stairs, intending to give him a piece of her mind for throwing her offer, a genuine polite and kind offer, back in her face, but the minute she rounded the sofa and witnessed the sheer exhaustion on his face, all her anger fled.

"Come on," she said and held her hand out to him. "Neither of us will get to sleep if you're down here and I know it hurts your back."

He stared up at her. His back did ache, and the few moments of sleep he'd had before his nightmare just made him more exhausted. He hated the lumpy sofa. It was fine to sit on, but lying across it, well there were far two many ridges digging into his spine. Still, he didn't know if it was a good idea to sleep beside Sydney in the same bed, especially not after their kiss and definitely not with his penchant for bad dreams.

"I…I don't think we…we should, Syd."

"Nigel," she sighed, dropping down on her knees beside the sofa, reading his thoughts as usual. "It's just to sleep."

"Of course! I…I would never…um…assume to…to take any liberties or…mistake…um…anything."

"Then what's the problem? We've shared a bed before."

"Yes, I know." He lowered his eyes. But not her bed, never her bed. He envied her ability to sweep things under the rug, to just bury the hatchet; or in this case, the kiss.

He'd tried to push the memory of their encounter far, far back in his mind, so as not to allow things to become awkward between them, but it had happened anyway. He didn't know if Sydney ever thought about it, but he still did and because of that he found himself watching what he said and how he looked at her. That annoyed him, because they had always been so comfortable together before.

She stood up and took his hand. "Come on, I'm barely conscious here and you're keeping me from my sleep too."

He sat up, his hand still in hers. If he didn't go, she would accuse him of being a coward, of making things more difficult that they were. If he did go, he'd have to contend with the intimacy of her lying beside him and he'd never get any sleep.

"We promised not to let it get weird, remember?"

They had promised, and he meant to keep that promise, but it was damned hard. "Syd, I…"

"We promised."

He gave in to her, as he always did, against his better judgment. "If I wasn't so knackered, I'd argue, but as it is…I can barely think straight."

She smiled and they headed upstairs, hand in hand.

He crawled in on the right, she on the left. She watched him turn on his side away from her, switched off the television and the light by her bed.

The tension between them was tangible; each so close and yet not touching. The intimacy of the bed and the moonlight shining through her window was almost too much. Damn it, it was weird.

"It's okay to think about it," Sydney whispered in the quiet of the night. "It's natural."

"It's a bloody nuisance," he decided, just as quietly. It was getting in the way of their friendship and that ticked him off.

"It was bound to happen at some point."

He stared at the curtains of her terrace moving gently in the breeze from outside. "Do you really think so?"

"Yes."

"Syd," he sighed. "It…it's not that…I mean you're a lovely d…desirable woman, but…it's just…"

"I know." She started to reach for him, then immediately pulled back. That really pissed her off, like she was afraid to show him affection. "We can get past this, Nigel. We can make it work."

"We can?" Was she talking about forgetting their attraction and making their friendship work, or did she mean something more?

"I've been in this situation a few times and it will blow over, trust me."

"Really?" he asked, relieved. "So…you've been attracted to a friend before and never…I mean made the decision to…um…not…you know. You were able to maintain the friendship?"

Sydney was glad the lights were off, because his words caused her cheeks to glow bright red. Well, when he put it that way, no she hadn't. She'd let her libido ruin several friendships in the past, which was why she was so afraid of ruining this one. "I…well…" Did the few men that she had 'benefits' with count? Not really, because she was hardly close friends with any of them. "The point is, that we're different. We've always had a…unique relationship and…and we can get through anything, as long as we stick together."

Nigel was silent for a long moment, and then sighed. "We're so screwed."

"We're not!" Sydney reached over and switched on her light, then turned to pull him onto his back, saw the uncertainty in his eyes and knew she it was reflection of her own. "Nigel, it doesn't have to be that way."

"How else is it going to be, Syd?" It frustrated the hell out of him when they had both been so delightfully comfortable with each other and now they were on eggshells.

Sydney moved in, for there was nothing else she could do, and lay her head on his chest. "It won't be weird."

"It already is," Nigel moaned, and raised his arms over his head, rather than touch her. This too irritated him, and he forced himself to let one drop across her back. "Can't you feel it? There…there's a difference now. I…I think about…about things I have no bloody business thinking about."

She traced an idle pattern on the front of his T-shirt with her fingers and searched her mind for what to do. If it were anyone else she would suggest they just have sex and get it over with, but that would make matters worse for them. "I don't know how to fix this," she admitted and cursed herself for ever kissing him, for ever forcing the situation upon him. A little flirting was one thing, she'd gone too far and now she was trying to claw her way back to the beginning.

Nigel turned away; it was hard even for him to hug her anymore without thinking about…that. "This sucks, Syd."

"I know." She could think of no other alternative. "Do you….do you think we should…you know?"

"No." He shook his head immediately. "No, I don't think we should do that, Sydney. That would surely mess us up worse."

She sighed and leaned her chin on his shoulder. "Then what do we do?"

He shrugged. "I…I guess we just have to…to start being careful and…and more…um…sensitive to the other's possible feelings."

Sydney nodded. "I guess." Her heart screamed in agony.

The wonderful thing with her and Nigel was that they didn't have to pretend to be anyone but who they were. They didn't need to watch their P's and Q's, because they accepted each other. Now that would change.

"No," she decided. "We've always been honest with each other, Nigel." If they changed how they related to each other now, after everything else, it would surely be the end of them.

"How can we be?"

"Well…you're still my friend right?"

"Of course!"

"And friends share how they feel." She paused and wondered if this was a good idea after all. "So…we just say what's on our minds and not take it too seriously."

"Syd…I absolutely cannot say what is on my mind at this moment."

She grinned. "Well, you don't have to, because it's on my mind too."

He turned back to her, his eyes wide. "Really?"

"Of course, really. You're a fantastic kisser, Nigel. I'd have to be dead not to wonder what else you're good at."

His cheeks glowed. "Hum…yes, well…" It made it a little easier to know she was having the same feelings; it didn't make him feel as ashamed anyway. "I…I reckon it would be…foolish to…um…feel awkward after all…all we've been through."

"Exactly."

"And…and I suppose we…we just need to…um…find a…a sense of humor about it all."

"You're very good at that, Nigel."

He smiled, finally. "Thank you, Syd."

"So, that's a start, we'll sleep on it and figure the rest out in the morning." She turned off the light as if the discussion was closed and instantly felt the motion of Nigel rising. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"I…back downstairs."

"Get your ass in this bed, Bailey, or I'll beat you bloody." She felt the dip of his weight again and almost smiled. "Now, we're going to stop talking and go to sleep and when we wake up things will start to look better for us."

"You're beautiful when you're angry, Syd."

She laughed and smacked him with her pillow. "Go to sleep!"

Nigel curled on his side, away from her and she lay on her back. Moments later, they were both sound asleep, with Maftet curled up between them.


	14. Chapter 14

DISCLAIMER: Relic Hunter Characters are not mine, I am only borrowing them. I hope you are enjoying the story. Thank you Hazygirl for continuing to review.

**CHAPTER 14**

Sydney woke with the sun and sighed. Once her eyes opened she was wide awake, but they had nothing to do today, well, she didn't anyway. School was out for the summer, they didn't have any new leads and her seminar schedule didn't start until next week.

She turned her head sideways and smiled. Nigel, as usual, was curled up on his side, his back to her with one hand under the pillow and the other under his cheek; as if afraid someone would steal the pillow out from under him. He hardly moved in his sleep, except when he had a nightmare; and she was learning that he had far too many of them.

She wondered if his bad dreams were because of their lifestyle or of some other deep seeded trauma that she wasn't aware of. Whatever it was, she considered his reluctance to share her bed had been due, at least in part, to the fact that he suffered night terrors.

As for their other issue, she had come to the solution while sleeping, and meant to put it into effect.

She reached over and poked him. "Hey."

He grunted.

"Nigel…Are you awake?"

"No."

She smirked. "Are you talking in your sleep?"

"Yes."

"It's morning."

"Can't hear you, I'm sleeping."

"We have to get up."

"Why?"

"Work."

"We haven't any," he moaned. "School is out. We have nothing on the schedule so why are you bothering me?"

"I'm awake."

"I'm not."

She slid over to toss her arm around him and lean her chin against his shoulder. "Make me breakfast."

"Still sleeping."

"Okay, I'll make you breakfast."

He pretended to snore.

"Nigel!" she laughed and smacked his shoulder. "I'm hungry."

"I'm sleeping!"

"You are not! You're wide awake."

He sighed and rolled onto his back, which probably wasn't the best idea as that left Sydney leaning over him, grinning. "I'm awake because of a noisy, chattering sparrow is pecking at me!"

She put her two hands on his chest and rested her chin upon them, peering at him from beneath her lashes. "I'll buy you breakfast. We can go to that English café you like?"

He yawned and stretched his arms over his head, deliberately avoiding too much contact with her, and again cursed himself for it. "Can I order anything on the menu?"

"Absolutely." She felt a little thrill when his arms came back down and one fell gently across her shoulders. "You can have all the trimmings and I promise not to rush you through it."

"Nope." He turned away from her again. "Rather sleep and dream about food."

She reached under the covers and smacked his ass, causing him to yelp in surprise.

"Oy! Sydney!"

"Bad boy!" She pulled him back to look at her. "Get up or I will spank you again." She was shocked and amused at the light flicker of interest that appeared in his eyes. "Nigel!"

"Fine!" He threw back the covers. "Impossible woman!" he grumbled and slid his feet to the floor. "But I'm having a shower first."

She waved regally from where she lay. "You may."

He rose and ran his hand through his disordered hair as he sleepily grabbed his robe from her closet and headed into the bathroom.

Sydney laughed and bounced out of bed, feeling energized and happy. It was fun waking up next to Nigel, especially when he was grumpy. She headed into her closet and selected what she would wear, a black mini-skirt, a blue tank and a white button up blouse, yes that would work. Nothing fancy, just this side of sexy but also comfortable.

She'd had a dream last night, an erotic dream, and that let her know the cause for her and Nigel's troubles. They were both sexually frustrated. It wasn't that the kiss between them was so fantastic, it was just that they were both in need of more. She realized that she needed to get things back on an even keep with him, and was sure her solution would be just what the doctor ordered.

She tossed her selected clothes on the bed as Maftet started pushing about her feet, wanting to be fed. "I just fed you six hours ago!" she scolded the cat, who started to meow in protest. "Oh, I see, you're a growing cat are you?" Meoowwoow. "You're a spoiled cat is what you are."

She jogged downstairs, Maftet darting down past her in anticipation and waited as her mistress added food and water to the sacred bowls, before attacking the food with relish.

Sydney then opened her freezer and grimaced. Groceries! She had to get groceries!

She jogged back upstairs, pulled off her tank and shorts and pulled on her robe, then knocked on the bathroom door

"Are you decent?"

"More or less," he called back.

Sydney entered and found him in his robe and shaving over the sink. "Did you use all the hot water?"

"I might have," he retorted and lowered his eyes away from the mirror, as she reached in to turn on the shower taps. He took a deliberate interest in the water rushing over the blades of his razor, as Sydney pulled off her robe and stepped behind the frosted glass doors.

She sighed as the water hit her body and reached for her bottle of body wash then frowned when she found it empty. Nigel's brand was beside hers on the shelf; but she didn't want to smell like the Old Spice Guy. "Can you see if I have another bottle of wash in the cupboard?" she called over the water. "Mine's empty."

Nigel set his razor down and stepped over to the towel cupboard, which also held an assortment of bathroom and cleaning supplies. He searched through the bottles until he found her brand and pulled it out. "Got it." He closed his eyes and handed it to her as she opened the doors enough to stick out her the empty bottle.

"Thank you." She closed the doors, grabbed her scrubby and lathered up. "So, what else do you want to do today?"

Nigel slid his razor down the left side of his cheek then rinsed the blade. "I wanted to sleep but someone wouldn't let me."

"Get over it." Sydney laughed. "We have a whole day to ourselves, so we can do something together or separate. Your choice."

Nigel finished shaving the left side of his face and started with his right. "I do have some errands I'd like to run," he admitted. "And I should check on my flat, just to make sure everything is in order."

"Okay." Sydney rinsed the soap off her body and started to shampoo her hair. "Well, why don't we go for breakfast, then we can get some groceries…"

"Are we out again?"

"Down to peanut butter and a block of cheese."

"Good grief." He shook his head. They were barely here long enough to eat, where did the food go to?

"After we put away the groceries," Sydney continued as she worked conditioner through her hair. "I'll drop you at your place and you can run your errands, for however long that takes you, and then we can meet back here for dinner- say fivish?"

"Sounds good." He rinsed the remaining soap off his face, rinsed his brush as well, and reached for a hand towel as Sydney shut off the shower and stepped out. He deliberately turned away and continued to dry his face. "Um…so…What are you going to do?"

"I have some people I should call back and I'd like to stop by and see Henry, he's supposed to be setting up a new display this week." She dried off and slipped into her robe, smirking that Nigel kept his back to her the entire time. "Do you want to have sex?"

He spun around, startled. "Do I what?"

"Do you want to have sex?" She wrapped a towel around her hair and smiled at him. "I was thinking it might solve our problem."

He blinked. Was she asking him in general or as an invitation? "Uh…I…Uh…" Hadn't they discussed that last night?

"I don't know about you," she said as she reached for her body lotion and started applying it over her legs, letting the gap of her robe slide open further as she propped one foot on the lid of the commode. "But it's been a long stretch and I need some release."

"I…S…Sydney are…are you…um…" He had to turn away again, he couldn't concentrate with her legs so exposed. "You…you mean you want to…to have a…a date, right? S…someone you'd call up for a….um…that?"

She straightened. "Yeah, of course." She frowned. He'd made it clear last night that he didn't want to have sex with her, or rather he thought it was a bad idea; and she concurred. "What did you think I meant?"

He shook his head and opened the door, between the steam of the shower and her comments he felt faint. "Yes, no…I mean…sure. I…I…" He just stopped talking and moved into the bedroom; his head felt like it was about to explode.

He headed into her closet towards the side she had cleared for his things. "Hell of a way to…just tell a man…" he muttered to himself as he paused at a small set of drawers and absently pulled out a pair of socks and briefs. "Want to have sex…like…Who…who wouldn't want to have sex?" Without even looking he snatched a button down shirt from a hanger and a pair of cargos. "You don't just ask that…no one just asks…"

"Who are you talking to?" Sydney asked, leaning against the doorway of the closet, her arms and ankles crossed.

Nigel spun around startled. "Who? Me? No one."

She smirked and stepped inside, moving to the set of drawers opposite where Nigel retrieved his clothes. She pulled out a lacy red bra and matching thong, then held it up to him. "What do you think? Will this get me laid?"

He flushed and turned away. "M…most likely."

He stepped out of the closet and quickly donned his briefs and cargo pants before she followed, now wearing the very items she'd asked his opinion about. Oh come on!

"Red bloody light, Syd!" he insisted and lowered his eyes. Would he never learn? Would she?

"Sorry!" she offered. "My clothes are on the bed, what am I supposed to do, come out naked?"

He settled on her bed, his back to her as he pulled his socks on and tried not to smirk. Well, at least that part of their relationship was getting back to normal, he supposed. He rose and slipped into his shirt as Sydney dressed on the other side of the room.

Sydney knew she was going a little far with the 'feeling comfortable' thing, but she wanted things to stop being weird, and it felt delicious watching him blush and stammer around her again. She honestly believed that if they both got release, from someone else, it wouldn't be as tense between them.

"Smell this," she asked, suddenly appearing beside him with a bottle of perfume. He obeyed. "Which one smells better? This one, or…" She presented a second, smaller bottle. "This one?"

"They're both very nice."

"Sure, but which makes me smell irresistible and sexy?"

He started to say she already smelled that good, but thought better of it and pointed to the small navy colored bottle. "This one…I guess."

She smiled and returned to her vanity to dab herself with the perfume he had picked. She inhaled. "Mmmm, I do love this one." She picked up her brush and hair dryer and attacked her hair. "So, who are you going to call?"

Nigel couldn't hair her over the hair dryer and moved closer, delighting in the scent that now lingered around her. Yes, that had definitely been the correct choice. "Sorry?"

"Who are you going to call?"

"For what?"

"For sex!" she grinned and bent from the waist to dry the underside of her hair. "Or is it a secret?"

"I…I…" He didn't have anyone he could call really, well there were several women that had given him their number for such an occasion, but he didn't feel right just calling them up out of the blue. "I hadn't thought about it."

Sydney watched him walk over to her terrace doors, his shoulders slightly slumped, and step outside. She straightened, switched off her hair dryer and put her brush down. Surely he had a sex buddy, most people did. Most people weren't Nigel, and despite the line up of amazons that attempted to assault him daily, she noticed for dating purposes he tended to go for the quiet, demure girls. Maybe a 'friend with benefits' was to bold a concept for his English upbringing.

"Nigel…" Here she was mouthing off about her options and he probably didn't have anyone to call. Maybe this hadn't been such a great plan after all.

She moved outside on the terrace, where he leaned both arms on the rail and looked out over her view of the harbor.

"You really have a fantastic place here, Syd," he said. "I wish I could afford something with this sort of view."

"Me casa es su casa." She smiled, knowing he was trying to change the subject. "I'm a self-absorbed bitch."

He glanced at her, startled. "You're nothing of the kind!"

"I am, I was only thinking about myself."

He shrugged and turned back to the view. "You're allowed, Sydney."

"No, I'm being a horrible friend." She sighed and put her hands on his shoulders from behind. "I was thinking that the reason our kiss was so…well fantastic, was just because it had been so long, for both of us."

Nigel didn't think that was the reason at all, but he wasn't going to contradict her.

"I mean, you are a great kisser, and it was amazing, but we're probably thinking about it more because, well…we're just lonely. Our bodies are craving some stimulation and that is all that seems…seemed available." She wasn't explaining it very well, and Nigel looked even more uncomfortable than before. "Can you think of anything else that could cause such a…a change in our feelings?"

"No."

"I may have presented it the wrong way…"

"I…It was just unexpected," Nigel said and met her wounded gaze. "I…I don't really have a…a rolodex for something like that, Syd."

"I could find a girl for you…"

"No," he refused flatly. "That's the same as hiring one and I…I don't do that."

"But I…"

"Syd, really. I'm fine."

"But aren't you even a little…" She searched for a word that wouldn't embarrass him further. "Randy?" They'd been living together for almost three months, and before that they had been far too busy for dating, so he was probably as starved for companionship as she was. It was what her dream was about. It had to be the answer.

She put two fingers together. "Not even a little?"

"Perhaps." He adjusted her fingers to a smaller space. "But I probably wouldn't be if you didn't continue to walk about half clothed."

She smirked. "Sorry."

"You should be."

"Do you want to spank me?"

"Don't start that nonsense."

She hung on his shoulder, grinning. "Well, there is a bed here." She wiggled her eyebrows at him. "And it is comfortable."

He stared into her devilish eyes and a small part of him wanted so badly to call her bluff and kiss her senseless, as punishment for teasing him. Maybe he had been alone too long, for he'd surely never considered such a reaction before, not towards Sydney.

"You are in a state." He turned and stepped back inside. "Let's go run our errands, so you can go get your jollies with some Adonis then."

"What about you?"

"I doubt he would be my type, thank you anyway."

"I know a girl named Kelly who…"

"No!"

"Well, you can't go without when I'm getting…some. That will ruin the whole plan!"

She looked so ridiculously horrified that Nigel had to work not to smile.

"Do you really think that's all there is to it?" he watched her straighten the sheets on her bed and moved to assist. In the last few months he'd noticed that she was anal about only getting into a made up bed at night; no matter how tired or how late she might be, the bed had to be made before she climbed into it. It was really rather charming.

"That we're sexually frustrated and were taking it out on each other?" she asked as she tossed her throw pillows onto the bed. "I do. What other explanation could there be? We've been together for years and we never had this issue, but I've never had such a dry spell. You?"

He shrugged. "Not really, no."

"So, we go find some release with someone else, then things will get back to normal with us. Makes sense, right?"

Nigel had to agree that it did make sense.

"I know this really nice girl…" she offered again.

"I think I can manage."

"You promise you'll find someone and have…fun?"

He'd never had trouble getting a woman into bed. "Syd. I'll manage."

She smiled and followed him downstairs and Nigel retrieved his watch from the coffee table and slipped it onto his wrist, then slid his wallet into his back pocket as Sydney grabbed her satchel.

They had breakfast and then headed to the local sidewalk market. Sydney preferred fresh food, even if she didn't always get to eat it, and the this market had several regular vendors that offered carts of fresh vegetables, fruits and flowers, along with several open-counter stores all along the street.

She collected an arm cart, as did Nigel. "Feel like steak for supper?" she asked as they stopped at a butcher's.

"That would be lovely," he agreed and paused over the smoked sausages in the encased glass counter. "Have you ever had Toad in the Hole, Syd?"

She grimaced. "I've eaten some strange things before, but not any toads."

"Oh no, it's not...It's a dish I know how to make, an English dinner with sausages, vegetables and Yorkshire pudding. Almost like a casserole, really."

"Sounds good." She frowned. "But I've seen your cooking skills, Nige. They aren't much better than mine."

"I can't cook chicken or bake a cake," he admitted. "But I can cook a few dishes from home, honestly." He pointed to several of the meaty sausages. "Could we get about five of those, please?" he asked the butcher and then to Sydney. "I think you'll like it."

"Okay, so do we still want steak?"

"Sure, and maybe some of those chops?" He pointed to the other side of the glass. "They look delicious."

"Do you know how to cook chops too?" She grinned.

"No, but how hard can it be?" He glanced over her shoulder. "I'm going to pop over there and get some more ingredients for the Toad."

"No flies in my supper, Nigel!" she laughed as she turned to the butcher to add to their order.

Nigel grinned and moved off towards the carted vendors, selected some fresh vegetables and onions for his dish, then paused over a selection of beautiful wild-flowers. He selected a bouquet, put them in his cart, and then glanced back to see Sydney feeling up some grapefruits. She had those for breakfast most mornings, although he didn't care for them, personally.

Sydney peered around until she spotted Nigel lingering over a stand of potatoes, and then turned back to pay for four grapefruits. She noticed a nice selection of red grapes, remembered that Nigel was very partial to them and collected two large bunches. This was the first time they had shopped for food together and it felt…nice.

"I found some brilliant potatoes," he said, appearing beside her and showing her what he had collected. "For the steak."

"Great." She spotted the flowers and raised an eyebrow. "What are those for?"

"They smell almost as nice as you do." He offered them to her as if he was handing her a salt shaker and not a beautiful bouquet. "I thought you'd like them for the table."

"Thank you, Nigel." She put her nose to the bouquet and smiled at his thoughtfulness. "They're gorgeous." She paused. "Oh, where are you going to get Yorkshire Pudding?"

"I know a shop downtown that sells several English foods, I can get some there." He looked at her cart and spied the grapes. "Ohh, my favorite." He couldn't resist reaching into the food bag, pulling a plump one from the bunch and popping it into his mouth. "I'm very partial to grapes."

"Yes, I know." She spotted a vendor of nuts. "That's what I'm looking for." They moved to the cart. "Mmmm…so many to choose from." She turned to him. "Which ones do you like best?"

"I like all of them," he admitted as he reached in for another grape. "Just get a mixture."

She nodded and they both collected a good sized sample of all the nuts.

They stopped at a Kroger store and collected some more items, including milk, eggs coffee, and Kraft Dinner, then at the shop downtown Nigel had mentioned and finally headed back to Sydney's to put the food away. Sydney dropped Nigel at his place with a promise to be back to pick him around five then drove off.


	15. Chapter 15

DISCLAIMER: RH characters do not belong to me, only the story and dialogue, which I hope you enjoy. Did they or didn't they? Only way to find out is to read on…Thanks for the reviews! Hope you enjoy.

**CHAPTER 15**

"Nigel, that was scrumptious," Sydney decreed as she sat back from the table and sipped her wine. They had decided to eat on her front terrace and the sun was just starting to set, casting a delightful splurge of color across the sky. "I didn't know you could cook!"

"Only a few things," he reminded from his place opposite her. "Mostly English dishes that are far too much work just for me to eat."

"Well, in that case I'm glad I was here to help you eat it." She rubbed her stomach and grimaced. "I won't enjoy working it off quite as much."

"Surely you burned enough calories this afternoon to warrant such a meal, without needing to work out again, Syd?" he commented as he rose to collect their dishes.

"Leave them for now," she ordered and refilled their glasses. "Let's just sit and enjoy the sunset."

He smiled, settled back in his chair and picked up his glass. "Did you meet up with Henry?"

"Yes and his displays are fabulous. We should go check them out when we get a chance."

"Sounds like a plan." It had been a bit of a relief to have a few hours just to himself. Not that he didn't like spending time with Sydney, but he had almost no privacy now, and it was something he yearned for. "I stopped by the university as well, checked our messages, but there wasn't any."

"That's weird. We always have messages."

"It's just a slow start to summer, I suppose." His eyes lingered on the bouquet of wild flowers that Sydney had placed in a vase on the table and he smiled. "I don't think we've ever been this slow. At least we have the seminars starting this coming week."

"True. Hey, why don't you clean out our store room while I'm in Chicago?"

He looked at her. "You…you don't want me to come with you?"

"It's only a two day seminar, Nigel, and now that I think about it, we do need to get that store room organized."

"Oh." Nigel turned to the sunset and tried not to feel slighted. "If you think that's best."

Sensing she had hurt his feelings she reached across the table and caught his hand. "Not that I don't want you there," she assured and squeezed his hand once before pulling back. "I just don't think you need to be there."

"I'm your assistant. I'm supposed to be there to help you."

"I know but…" She realized the only thing that would work was the truth. She set her glass down and looked him in the eye. "Nigel, please, please don't take this the wrong way, but I need some time…to myself." She glanced at him, saw him looking at her and worried that she had made things worse. "I love having you with me, but we've been together almost every minute for the last few months and…frankly…it's starting to get on my nerves."

Slowly, ever so slowly, Nigel started to smile. "Likewise."

Her eyebrows rose. "Really?" She grinned, wondering how she could have been worried? He was probably sick of her too. "It's just for the weekend and I…I think we could both use the break."

"I agree one hundred percent." He smirked. "That time I had alone today was lovely and, not of course that I don't enjoy your company, but we have lost a good deal of our privacy."

"Exactly!" She sighed, relieved. It really was great that they were such good friends. "So, I'll go to Chicago, do the seminar, you can work on the storeroom and whatever else you feel like doing and we both get some time to ourselves."

"Sounds like heaven."

"Oh, but can you stay here while I'm gone?" she asked, as an after thought. "Then I don't have to ask my neighbor to look after Maftet."

"Um…I may stay at my flat one night, but I'll bring her over there with me if I do."

"Awesome!" She sat back again and waved her finger at him. "No wild parties."

"Who me?" He pretended to look affronted.

They both turned and watched the sun set, each caught in their own thoughts as they sipped their wine.

"Nigel?"

He turned to her.

"Could I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why do you have nightmares so much?"

He lowered his eyes to stare at the remaining liquid.

"If you don't want to tell me, it's okay, I just…I hope it's not because of our lifestyle and the things I put you through."

Nigel's head shot up, startled. "No! No, it's…well occasionally I might have a dream about it from…from stress, but no, that. It's not that."

"Is it something you can talk about?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing really. I've been having nightmares since…well for a long time. I can't seem to get rid of them."

"What are they about?"

He set his glass down and rose to collect their dishes. "It's nothing, Syd."

Sydney scowled and her heart skipped a beat. Something had scarred him, and he was refusing to discuss it. She'd respect his right to privacy, but it wouldn't stop her worrying.

She picked up the casserole dish their meal had been in and their silverware and stepped into her loft. Nigel was already putting their dishes in the dishwasher. "So…what do we have for desert?" she asked cheerfully.

He smiled at her. "I thought you were full?"

"There is always room for desert, Nigel."

"For you maybe, I couldn't eat another thing."

She pretended to pout as she stretched plastic-wrap over what remained of their dinner. "How can you have such a great meal and not plan desert?"

"Wasn't thinking I guess," he admitted and reached into the refrigerator to pull out a cup of chocolate pudding and strawberries. "Will this help?"

She grinned and accepted it. "You're awesome!" She leaned in, gave him a quick peck on the cheek and pulled a spoon from the drawer. "Yummy." She scooped a good portion into her mouth and wiggled her eyebrows at him.

He shook his head at her and finished tidying up the kitchen as she leaned against the counter, eating her desert.

"I never knew you were such a neat freak."

"I am not a neat freak."

"You're always cleaning, Nigel."

"Because you leave everything where you drop it, Sydney."

She smirked, willing to admit she was a bit of a slob in some areas. "That doesn't mean I expect you to pick up after me."

He shrugged. "I like order, that's all." He wiped down the counter. "Scootch, Scootchie."

She laughed and moved to the other side so he could go over the rest of the counter with his cloth. "You'll make someone a fine wife, one day."

He threw the cloth at her. "Be nice."

She caught it, one handed, and tossed it in the sink. "You're the best, Nigel."

"Yes, I am, and don't you forget it."

"Oh really?"

"Indeed. No one else would put up with your shanagins this long."

She finished off her desert and raised her eyebrows, amused. "My shanagins? What about yours?"

"I'm shanagin- free."

She laughed. "Liar!"

He smirked and headed into the living area. "Fancy a game of scrabble?"

"Sure. Inside or out?"

"Inside, there is more light."

Sydney nodded and opened a kitchen drawer for a pad and pen. She flipped four pages to their current score. "I'm winning, by the way."

"Not after tonight." He reached into her games cupboard and pulled down the top game. "What are we up too anyway?"

"You are at fourteen thousand seven hundred and ten and I'm at fourteen thousand nine hundred even."

"Ah, but you cheat."

"I do not cheat!"

"You use words that are not even part of the English language!" he accused mildly as he moved to the dining room table, pulled out the bag of tiles from the game box and set up the playing board.

"They are part of the English language!" she insisted, then added with a wicked grin. "Fifteenth century English is still English."

He grinned and shook his head at her as she grabbed them each a soda, poured them into glasses with ice and brought them to the table.

He wanted to ask her about her afternoon, but his earlier attempt had been instantly dismissed. He could understand her not wanting to talk about it, usually they didn't discuss such personal details of their lives, but she'd been overly personal that morning and now, with the exception of a brief, sisterly kiss, she was being almost anti-personal.

It was a bit of a relief in some respects, but not in others. He felt as if he had done something wrong, then reasoned that he couldn't have done anything wrong.

"What do you feel like listening too?" she asked as she perused her selection of music.

"Anything that doesn't sound angry."

She laughed and selected a country CD. She popped it in and Shania Twain filled the room singing that she was no quitter.

Sydney returned to the table, Nigel had already set everything up and was settled in his chair with the bag of tiles in the center of the board. "So, what else did you do today?" she asked as she reached in and picked seven random tiles, then set them on her wooden stand.

"Nothing much, just ran a few errands." He reached into the bag for his tiles. "Dropped off my suit to be pressed, and I needed a new battery for my watch." He carefully arranged the tiny wooden tiles on his stand. "Stopped by the university, as I mentioned earlier, and aired out and dusted my flat."

Sydney set her first word on the board, TOP. "Is that all?"

"Are you talking about my day or that pitiful word?"

"I'm working up to it," she tossed. "Is that all you did today?"

He met her gaze across the board. "All I'm willing to discuss, yes."

She grimaced as he set his tiles down to form the word PHOENIX. "You stacked the tiles," she decided and used three of hers to form XRAY. "So there."

"Oooh, yes I'm quite frightened now," he teased as he spelled YETTI.

"Oh come on!" she growled and grabbed up her soda as he selected new tiles. "You've got a bag of tiles under the table or something." She glared at him and pulled an ice-cube from her drink into her mouth, crunching on it as she tried to find a good word with her pitiful selection of tiles.

Nigel tried not to cringe at the sound; he could swear she had amplifiers in her teeth. For someone who didn't like the cold she chewed enough ice to start her own glacier. "How was your day then?"

"It was good." She finally spelled out MUSE. "The best part was the lovely dinner my husband made me."

Nigel flushed with delight and almost dropped the tiles he had started to place on the board. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Syd." It was the first time she'd referred to him as her husband, outside of their immigration interview, and it made him feel…well oddly warm inside. "Surely it wasn't the _best_ part?"

She pulled more ice into her mouth. "Now, Nigel, you're not fishing for details about my sex life, are you?"

"No! No, I…I was…um…just wondering if your plan…um…worked?"

She peered at him over her glass.

"I…I mean if you'd been sufficiently…satis…er…reliev…um…Never mind." He struggled to remember the word he was going to play and found he had blanked on it.

"Were you, Nigel?" she asked, quietly.

"Me? Oh….yes, sure. I mean…of…of course, why wouldn't…" He gave up trying to remember the bloody word and spelled SOD instead. "I was…am…fine…now."

She shrugged. "Me too." For some reason, she wasn't in the mood for scrabble anymore. She rose. "I think I'm going to read for awhile and then go to sleep."

"Sure, Syd." Nigel looked at her concerned, but decided not to push it. "Sweet dreams, then."

She nodded, took her glass upstairs with Maftet close behind.

Nigel put the game away, poured out the rest of his soda and turned off the music. He settled on the sofa and picked up the television remote, then put it back down. He didn't know if he was supposed to sleep down here tonight or if she wanted him up there again.

If she had been sufficiently…fulfilled, as she said, and that had been the cause of their earlier issue, then said issue would no longer exist. Sleeping in the same bed would be fine. She hadn't invited him up with her, so he couldn't assume anything. Perhaps last night was simply as she said, because they had both been so tired and needed a good night's sleep. It was better. Yes, it was better to stay separate and avoid any…confusion.

He was startled at the slight cramp that accompanied the thought of Sydney having wild sex with some bloke, but put it down to his over-active code of honor. He had picked up his cell phone a dozen times to call someone, was honestly considering a quick, uninvolved shag, but each time he found himself stymied by the weight of the band on his finger. Sydney would say he was being a prude, allowing himself to be foolishly inhibited by a non-existent liaison.

They weren't married in the traditional sense, but somehow, it still felt wrong to invite another woman into his bed. It felt like he was cheating on Sydney, and that was beyond bizarre, because he and Sydney's relationship had never been romantic. They'd both had countless affairs with other people and it was never considered rude or wrong. He couldn't cheat on someone whom he didn't have a sexual relationship with, he knew this, yet each time he tried to call someone, he got an upset stomach and a pain in his heart that could only be attributed to feelings of guilt.

He sighed, picked up the remote again and switched channels until he found a sit-com to watch; hoping it would take his mind off of everything for awhile.

Meanwhile, Sydney performed her nightly routine of removing her makeup, brushing her hair and lathering her body with lotion, then changed into a thin night dress, crawled into bed and opened her book. It wasn't until she'd read the same page three times when she realized she wasn't in the mood to read.

She could just barely hear the television downstairs, but she caught a few pieces of dialogue that she knew it was a comedy show that Nigel enjoyed. Nigel had it so low she wondered how he could even hear it, but that was his way; manners before everything.

She tossed her book aside and pulled her knees up to her chest to rest her chin on them, frustrated. Her plan had not worked, at least not for her. She had contacted a former neighbor named Richard, who was more than willing to meet up. She'd run her other errands, then showed up at his place, fully prepared for a wild ride, but they only got as far as the bed and a few deep kisses before he could tell something was wrong.

She assured him there wasn't and he soon had her down to her sexy underwear, underwear that Nigel had helped her to chose, but she wasn't enjoying Richard's attention. She kept thinking about Nigel, wondering what he was doing and who he was doing it with. What sort of woman had he chosen, or had he even managed to find someone for the afternoon? He was so uptight sometimes, and it wouldn't surprise her if he had just decided to forget the whole thing.

As Richard kissed his way down her body, she kept playing with the rings on her left hand, twisting them with her thumb. Richard hadn't noticed them, or if he had, didn't seem to think it worth mentioning. She was married, didn't he care that he was about to have sex with a married woman? Sydney found his lack of morals disturbing, and then felt a wave of guilt at her own ethics.

She had pushed him away, apologized as she dressed and quickly left. She hadn't been able to go through with it. Regardless of the reasons or the circumstance, she was married and until the rings were off her finger, she couldn't cheat on her husband. She felt frustrated and foolish for letting herself feel guilty about a relationship that didn't even exist, but she simply couldn't go through with having sex with Richard.

So, instead she had done the next best thing that made her feel good, she went shopping. Then she rushed home, put away her purchases and hurried to pick up Nigel for five. She'd made the decision to keep things on an even keel from now on, no more hugging or kissing; nothing that would cause them to start doubting their feelings again. It seemed like a good plan.

They'd had a lovely dinner, and then he had made the comment about her burning calories. He had only been teasing her, but it stung, because that damn guilt came back full force and blindsided her. She hadn't even done anything and still she felt ashamed. She'd shut down his playfulness almost immediately by changing the subject, and she could tell she had wounded him.

Then, for whatever asinine reason, the conversation again turned to their deeds for the afternoon. She found herself needing to know if she was the only one who felt the pressure not to disrespect their vows, and yet she was unwilling to divulge what happened with her attempt.

His answer had not been exactly forthcoming, but what he did managed to stammer out, it seemed he'd had no problem finding company. For some reason that angered her, and, if she was honest, it had hurt a little too. So she excused herself with a lie and left him alone downstairs.

She scowled as she realized that he hadn't laughed once at the show downstairs and immediately wondered if he was upset. The idea immediately over rid her own anger and hurt, so she tossed back her covers and pulled on her robe.

She descended the stairs and walked over to the sofa. "Hey."

He looked up at her, uncertainty written on his face. "Are you angry with me, Syd?"

She sat down beside him. "No," she replied and realized it was the truth. She couldn't be angry at him for doing something she had suggested. "Are you angry with me?"

"Of course not."

They moved their gazes to the television and grew silent.

Nigel hated the tension between them and wondered what he could have done to cause it. She'd enjoyed the dinner, and seemed in fairly good spirits when she'd picked him up. He backtracked over their conversation, searching for a clue as to what might have upset her, but couldn't find anything.

Sydney stared at the characters on the television, but was so lost in her own thoughts that she couldn't really follow what they were saying. Nigel was worried, she could see it on his face, and she didn't know how to reassure him, or what she needed to reassure him about. It was never like this with them, never, and the fact that it was now hurt. There was only one sure path to relief, the truth.

"Nigel?"

He looked at her.

"I…" She curled her legs under her and pulled one of the throw pillows onto her lap, started playing with the edges. "I went shopping."

"That's nice. What did you buy?"

Sydney was shocked to find tears building in her throat. Of course he would ask her that. Of course he would be sincere and gracious and above all else, genuinely interested in what she did, instead of scoffing at her or demanding to know why she had gone shopping. "I…I mean, I went shopping instead…instead of…the other plan."

"Really?" He stared at her and felt the heaviness in his chest eased remarkably. "Why?"

She shrugged and kept her eyes on the pillow, feeling foolish. "I don't know." That was a lie. "Well, I do but…you'll think I'm stupid."

"Syd, that is one thing you could never be."

Her heart grew lighter at his words and she forced herself to meet his gaze. "I couldn't go through with it because it felt…wrong." When he remained silent she lowered her eyes again and cursed herself for being a fool.

Finally, Nigel tugged away her pillow, her shield, slid over and pulled her in for a hug. "Likewise," he whispered and felt her body physically shudder in relief.

She pulled back enough to look into his eyes again. "You couldn't either?"

"It felt wrong."

She nodded and leaned into him again. Okay, maybe hugs weren't completely out of the question. "What a couple of idiots we are."

"Yes, but we're noble idiots."

She chuckled and sat back. "So, what do we do now? How do we get back to being…okay?"

He stared at her for what seemed like forever, and then softly said. "We are okay. We'll always be okay, Syd."

"Are you sure?"

He shrugged and tapped her nose. "As long as you keep your lips to yourself, and your clothes on, at least most of the time, I'm sure we'll survive until all of this nonsense is over."

She smiled. "Most of the time?"

"Well…no need to throw our routine completely out of whack," he decided. "If you didn't toss your clothes off in front of me at least once a week, I should think you were an imposter." He smirked. "And I do so adore your…passion for lacy things, Syd."

She laughed and gave him another quick hug, thinking of the set she had just purchased. She couldn't wait to show it off to him."Want to watch a movie?"

"I thought you were going to bed?"

"I'm not tired anymore." She rose and waved at their collection of DVDs. "You pick."

He rose to go through their selection of DVD's. "Where are you going?"

"Upstairs."

"I…I thought you wanted to watch a movie?"

"We can watch it upstairs."

He smiled at her, and realized his earlier question had been answered. "Okay, I'll be up in a minute."


	16. Chapter 16

DISCLAIMER: RH characters do not belong to me, as you know and yet you are reading this anyway, so thank you!

Time for another wrench to be tossed in, please let me know how you like it! Review, Review, REVIEW!

**CHAPTER 16**

Sydney rolled over in her bed at the sound of her door intercom buzzing. "Nigel!" she moaned. "Nigel, the door!" She reached for him, found his side of the bed empty, and then she noticed the sound of her shower running. "Shoot!" She tossed back her covers, grabbed her robe and shrugged into it.

She hurried down the stairs just as someone knocked at her door. "What the hell?" She walked to the door, paused at the idea it might be Immigration again.

Another knock had her calling out. "I'm coming!" She took a deep breath, cinched her robe and slid open the heavy loft door. "Dad!" Holy crap on a cracker! "Um…W…what a surprise."

Randal Fox stood in the doorway smiling. "I saw your jeep in the lot so I knew you were home." He stepped inside and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet in a crushing bear hug. "A neighbor let me in when you didn't answer."

"I was s…sleeping," she replied and frantically tried to think of a way to get rid of him. "Um…why don't I go get dressed and we can go out for breakfast?"

"My girl, sleeping in past ten am?" he challenged as he set her back on her feet. "What is the world coming to?"

"We…I…" Good grief, was it really after ten? She hadn't sleep that late in years! "Um…right. Well, let me go get changed and…"

Nigel appeared at the top of her platform, drying his hair with a towel, another wrapped around his waist. "Syd, have you seen my…"

"Well… Good morning, Nigel." Randal greeted from below.

"Oh God!" Nigel squeaked and disappeared back into the bedroom area.

Randal glanced back at Sydney, his eyebrows raised. "Something you'd like to tell me, Scootchie?"

"I…I…ah….I…Hold that thought." She hiked her robe and nightdress, darted across the room and up the stairs. Nigel wasn't in the bedroom, but she saw that the bathroom door was closed. She tried it, found it locked. "It's me!"

Nigel unlocked the door and let her in, the panic evident on his face. "Your father is here! What is your father doing here?"

"I don't know, he just showed up."

"Your father is here!"

"I know!" she snapped back and ran her hand through her hair. "Look, this isn't a big deal…."  
"Sydney! Your father is here! The six-foot-four ex-marine, who loves his little girl very much, and who can break me like a twig!"

"Dad would never hurt you, Nigel."

"He's always demanding to know my intentions!"

"He's just teasing you. He's harmless really…"

"Harmless! I'm in his daughter's flat wearing nothing but a towel! He's going to murder me!" He gaped at her. "What…what if he finds out about…about…the thing…"

"What thing?"

"The…the kiss," he murmured.

Sydney didn't like the situation either, but she wasn't about to bury her head in the sand over it either. "I can handle Dad. When I explain…"

"Explain what?" Nigel paled even more, if that was possible. "You are _not_ going to tell him we're married?"

She shrugged. "He'll understand once I tell him why."  
Nigel dropped down on the commode and hung his head in his hands. "Oh God." He simply did not have the same faith in Randal Fox that Sydney seemed to. It was one thing, to suspect that his daughter was sleeping with her assistant, but to tell Randal Fox that she'd married her assistant…And not even a real marriage, but one of convenience, a marriage they kept from him.

"I'm dead. You'll be a widow. Please don't wear black to the funeral, it isn't becoming. Make sure I'm buried in the family plot, won't you, in London?" He grimaced, assuming there was anything left of him to bury.

"Calm down." Sydney knelt, caught his hands and pulled them away from his face. "You're overreacting. We just need to go with the flow…"  
"Go with the flow," he murmured dazed. "Blood flows…" So does urine and he was sure he'd pissed himself when he spotted Randal Fox standing in Sydney's living room.

"It's not going to be that bad," she insisted although she had her doubts. "We just need stick together on this."

"Us _sticking_ together is probably his issue, Sydney!"

"It will be fine…"  
"It won't!"

"Just get dressed and come down…"  
"I can't!"

"Nigel!" She rose. "Snap out of it. I did this for you, the least you can do is face him with me."

"I can't!"

"You can! You must." She crouched before him again. "Please don't make me do this alone."

"I thought you said he would be fine with it?"

"Well…maybe fine is a little optimistic…."

"Sydney!"

"Marriage is very serious to Dad!" she cried standing up again. "He's always told me how serious and that you only ever get married when you're sure, without a doubt that you've found The One."

"Oh God." That made it even worse. "Syd…He…I…" He hadn't meant to cause Randal to be disappointed in her. "I think so too, I told you that, but we…I…" He shook his head. "What do we say?"

"Just….Just let me do most of the talking and…agree with whatever I say." She paused as she considered that. "Actually, no, better to say nothing."

"Then why do I have to go down there?"

"Because you do!" she snapped, and then jumped in alarm at the sound of her father's voice on the other side of the door.

"Sydney? Is everything okay?"

"Um…yes, I…I'll be right out, Dad! Um…Why…why don't you put some coffee on?"

"Okay, honey."

She listened at the door for his fading footsteps then spun on Nigel who was watching her with an accusing gaze.

"You _are_ scared of him!"  
"He is my _father_!" she explained, hotly. She splashed some water on her face and pinched her cheeks to restore some of the color she had lost. "Get dressed and come down." She pulled open the door. "I mean it, Nigel. Don't make me do this alone."

Nigel watched her leave and cringed.

Sydney found Randal in the kitchen setting the coffee to brew. "So…" She said swinging her arms back and forth then finally clapping them together, a sign of her anxiety. "Um…where's Jenny?"

"She couldn't come this trip, she's teaching."  
"Oh! That's great, how long has…"  
Randal turned and leaned his long frame against her counter, crossed his arms and his ankles. "So, you and Nigel are an item now?"

"Um…no. Well, kind of…Not exactly."

"Not exactly?" He frowned. "Please tell me this isn't just a fling, Sydney, because that poor boy deserves better than that."  
"No! I…" She flushed and then paled as a rollercoaster of emotions soured through her. "It…it isn't what you think. Nigel and I…we're not involved…like that."

"I see. He just comes by on occasion to use your shower then? Is his broken?"

"No." She moaned, trying to figure out the best way to explain it. Finally, she took his hand and pulled him over to the sofa. "You…you'd better sit down."

He settled in the chair and she on the sofa. "I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"No."

"Are you pregnant?"

"Dad!"

"Because that would be okay, as long as you're in a loving relationship, baby. You know I go with the flow with these things…"

"Dad I…I'm not pregnant!" From her vantage point she spotted Nigel coming down the stairs and watched him come to an abrupt halt and turn almost translucent. She tried to impress on him, with her eyes, to help but he stood there, frozen.

"Okay," Randal replied, curious. "Then what's going on?"

"Dad, I…well, it's really..." She forced a smile and slapped her knee. "You'll laugh when you hear it…"

"I'm listening."

"Well…Nigel…Nigel and I…" Her eyes rose above her father's again to glare at Nigel, her message obvious; _get-your-ass-down-here-and-help!_ Nigel stared back and emphatically shook his head; _not-a-breathing-chance-in-hell. _"Well, you see, Dad. Um…There was a problem with Immigration and…They revoked Nigel's work Visa and…and…Well, they were going to deport him!"

"Alright." Randal sat back against the cushions, crossed one leg over the other and folded his arms. "Did they revoke his clothes as well?"

"No! Dad…don't be silly. He just…I…" Again she looked at Nigel, pleading this time. She didn't know how to say it without disappointing her father.

"Nigel," Randal said, without turning around. "Why don't you come on down and help my daughter explain why you're walking around her loft, half naked."

Nigel glowed bright red and slowly, reluctantly walked down the stairs. He'd changed into a pair of tan cargo pants, a white T-shirt and a sweater, which was far too heavy for the temperature in the loft, but he reasoned it was better to have more clothes on than less, especially after the earlier incident.

He came to a halt by the far end of the sofa. "Um…Hel…Mr. Fox…G…Good to see you again."

"You too," Randal waved for Nigel to sit. "Although I hadn't expected to be seeing quite so much of you."

Nigel flushed to his toes and dropped down on the end of the sofa, as far from Sydney as possible while still on the same piece of furniture.

"Now, what's this all about?"

"Dad, it's really nothing and…and it isn't permanent."

"What isn't permanent?"

"It was a bad idea from the start," Nigel began, franticly. "I tried to talk her out of it, but she…she was only trying to help me, Sir."

"Help you with what?"

"It won't affect anything Dad, and we had to do it, there was no other way…"

"Do _what_!" Randal suddenly roared, fed up with being in the dark.

"We're married," Sydney finally blurted, and then braced against the backlash that would come.

Randal Fox unfolded his arms and sat forward, slowly, as a jungle cat would move to avoid frightening its prey. His eyes lowered to Sydney's left hand, which she had stuck in the pocket of her robe. He stared at her until she pulled it out and he saw the rings. He looked at Nigel's hand and found the matching ring, before the Englishman self-consciously tried to hide it.

In a tone that was agonizingly soft, he spoke. "Nigel, could you excuse us for a moment?"

The Englishman immediately popped to his feet, eager to flee the scene, but when he looked at Sydney, she looked so small and miserable, so scared of what her father would say…and in that instant, despite his own fear, he knew he could not leave her.

Instead, he spoke in a quiet, but firm voice. "Actually, Syd. You should leave us alone to talk."

Sydney gaped at him in shock. "W…what?"

"Go upstairs and…um… get dressed, please?" He sat back down and faced Randal, hoping the older man didn't hear the nervous sound of his knees knocking or his teeth chattering. "I…I need to speak with your father, alone."

Sydney couldn't believe this was the same man who had been cowering in her bathroom only minutes before. She appreciated the thought, but she couldn't let Nigel stand alone against her father. She wasn't afraid of her dad, not physically; it was disappointing him that she feared.

"Nigel…"

"Do as he asks, Sydney." Randal said, in that same, horribly quiet voice.

Sydney rose, surprised to find her knees shaking, paused long enough to squeeze Nigel's shoulder, then reluctantly headed upstairs.

"Let's have it," Randal ordered once he made sure that Sydney had disappeared from view. "All of it."

Nigel told him everything; all they had gone through to keep the farce going and after, watched Randal sit back and quietly brood.

"Please don't be disappointed in Sydney," Nigel insisted. "She holds the same ideals as you do regarding marriage, the same ideals I myself hold, but she did this for me. She is my friend, Sir. My dearest and most precious friend and she was only trying to help me. Surely you can't fault her for that?"

"No," Randal returned quietly. "Sydney has always had a big heart, has always given herself fully to the needs of others. It's what has made so me proud of her." He shook his head. "But to lie like this, to defraud the US Government and commit to sacred vows that neither of you intend to keep…"

"We wrote our own vows, sir. We only gave our promise to do that which we could; such as to be there for each other, to support one another."

"And you think that makes your marriage acceptable, because you only agreed to a few things? Nigel, marriage itself is a lifetime promise, no matter what words you say at the ceremony. You made a commitment to my daughter that you cannot honor."

"I will honor it, Sir. I love, Sydney."

"As a man?"

Nigel lowered his eyes. "She is my closest friend, Sir."

"So, no then?"

"I didn't want to involve her…"

"But she wouldn't allow you to do anything else, would she?" Randal sighed and ran his hands over his face. "I know my daughter, Nigel. Loyalty is her biggest strength, but it can also be a major weakness for her."

"I…I'm aware of that, Sir."

"I don't believe you would deliberately use my daughter to your own ends. You two have been together for far to long for me to even consider that, but Sydney doesn't like to lose. Not hunts, not fights and certainly not people she cares about." He steepled his fingers and held them to his chin. "Ever since her mother, she's been afraid of loss, so of course she would have done anything to keep from losing you."

"I truly tried to talk her out of it…"

"You could have just left and taken the decision out of her hands, rather than enter into a marriage neither of you had any real commitment too. Rather than putting her in danger with the authorities, and risking her life and her career."

Nigel knew Randal was right. He'd considered all of that already, but as usuall he let Sydney take over. Let her have her way and yes, most of that was because he hadn't wanted to lose her either. "I…I can't seem to say no to her," he admitted quietly. "She…she means so much to me, Sir. I only wanted her to be happy and…I knew that my leaving would make her miserable…make us…both very miserable."

"You do love her, don't you?"

"Yes, Sir."

"But not as a man loves a woman?"

Nigel remained silent and stared at the floor.

"Are you attracted to her at all?"

He burned with embarrassment. "I…I…Why would you…ask me that?"

"I'm curious. You're living under her roof now, regardless of how you got here. Do I need to worry about you taking advantage of her?"

"No!" Nigel denied hotly. Damn it! Wasn't that the same as asking his intentions? Didn't Randal know by now that he'd defend Sydney's honor with his own life? "I…I would never…It isn't like that between us. We…we're strictly…P…Platonic." He slapped back the memory of their few kisses.

"Yet you married her."

"Not…not to have sex with her!"

"You don't think my daughter is good enough to have sex with?"

"Yes! I mean no!" Nigel's face fell into his hands. "God…just kill me."

"Nigel."

Nigel remained as he was, face covered and staring at the floor.

"Look at me, son."

Reluctantly Nigel lifted his head and peeked through his fingers

"I'm not happy about this, any of it." Randal hissed through his teeth, a way of calming himself. "But, I can see why you did it and it's obvious that you both would probably fall apart without the other so…I guess I'll have to give my blessing, won't I?"

Nigel slowly dropped his hands to his lap. "For Sydney, Sir. I don't require it, nor do I deserve it, but please, if you could…just forgive Sydney this…this transgression. She adores you, Sir."

Randal nodded, impressed at how strong the Englishman's loyalty was to his daughter. He had to respect the fact that Nigel faced him when most men would have run, and despite his obvious fear the young man took sole responsibility for what occurred. "How long is this farce supposed to go on?" he asked.

"Just until my hearing," Nigel admitted miserably. "Then I'll know one way or the other if I'll be deported."

"And when is this hearing?"

"They…they haven't given us a date yet. They…they said it could be s…six months to a year."

"A year!"

Nigel nodded in grim understanding, for his reaction had been the same.

"And what happens after."

"We get an annulment, of course."

Randal shook his head. "You'd better file for divorce," he decided. "An annulment would cause the government to start looking at you again."

Nigel cringed, but nodded solemnly. Randal was right, of course.

"You don't like divorces?"

"No, I…it's just…I never thought I'd be…in one, Sir."

"Well, you said this marriage isn't real."

Nigel nodded and looked at the floor again.

Randal sighed again and wondered if the young man had any idea how much he really was in love with Sydney. He didn't want to think about how difficult Nigel, well both of them would find separating again. He suddenly clapped his hands on his knees, startling Nigel, who's gaze shot up; as if afraid he was about to be struck down.

"I guess I'd better be the dutiful father and take my daughter and new son-in-law out for breakfast."

Nigel rose with Randal. "Sir, you don't have to do that. We didn't want to involve anyone else, especially you, and that was why…"

Randal held up a large hand to silence him. "I'm already in it, son." He turned and headed upstairs to talk to his daughter. "Go turn that coffee off would you?"

Because Sydney understood that they had wanted privacy, she had walked all the way into her office, sat in her chair and waited. She was worried to death for Nigel, not that her father would ever hurt him, but Nigel's anxiety would be enough to cause him to have nervous breakdown.

She still couldn't believed he was willing to face her father alone, and she was somewhat irked by it as well. Who did they think they were? This was the twenty-first century, a time well past sending the 'little woman' out of the room so the 'men' could talk. She had been even more upset that her father agreed to it.

Then she was angry with herself for not foreseeing this and for not talking to her father about it, before such a situation could even occur. She was a grown woman, she didn't need her father's approval, but that didn't mean she didn't want it. She admitted to being afraid to tell him, afraid he would be disappointed.

Then she was angry at her father again, for making her afraid, for causing her to doubt even more what she and Nigel had done, for questioning her loyalty to her best friend. She wasn't ten years old anymore and she could make her own decisions! It wasn't as if he asked her permission before he went and proposed to Jenny! Where was all his fatherly concern then?

When Randal entered the office Sydney had already worked herself into a fine lather; she popped out of the chair and attacked. "I'm a grown woman! You can't come in her and treat me like a child anymore, Dad! What Nigel and I did we did because we had to, and because we're friends and because it was the only thing we can think of and…and… You have no right to come in here and make me…him…us feel bad because we're living our life…lives the way we see fit and if you don't like it well you…you can just fly the hell back to China!"

"I love you, Scootchie."

"Oh Daddy." She crumbled and ran into her father's arms. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I'm sorry I didn't wait for 'The One' but we needed to do this and Nigel…he…he's so important to me and I know you think it's wrong but…I never wanted to…to d…disappoint you…"

"You could never disappoint me." He held her in his arms, caressed her hair as he had when she was little. Maybe she wasn't ten years old anymore, but she still needed her daddy. "I just don't want you to get hurt baby. I never want you to get hurt."

"I know…" She sniffed and held on tighter, her father's arms were the very best place in the world to be. "Nigel's worried about people finding out and me getting fired, but no one will find out and even so I can take care of myself."

Randal pulled back just enough to catch her chin and pull her gaze up to his. "I'm not talking about that."

"I don't understand."

"I'm worried about Nigel hurting you, sweetie."

"Nigel?" She gaped at him, as if the thought never occurred to her. "No, Nigel…he'd never hurt me, daddy. He loves me."

"As a man?" he asked again, wondering if he would get a different answer from her.

"No, of course not. He's my friend, my partner."

He held in his sigh and pulled her close again to kiss the top of her head. "Of course." They were both in serious denial.

Finally, he kissed her cheek and stepped back. "Well, let's go get something to eat then."

"Is Nigel…" Sydney pause and searched for the right words and all that came to mind were 'able to walk' or 'in need of a transfusion.' "Um…ok..ay with that?"

"Seems to be." He took her hand, pulled her back through her office and into her bedroom. "Is he why you were sleeping in?"

"Dad!"

"That bed looks awfully messy…"

"He's like my brother." She smiled, knowing he was back to teasing her and that made everything all right. "All we do is sleep."

"Hmmm."


	17. Chapter 17

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. There are different settings through this chapter, with Syd and Nigel together and then their experiences apart. I hope it is not confusing, but it is just the way it came out. Thanks for the last reviews and please, keep 'em coming!

**CHAPTER 17**

"Here are my keys," Sydney offered as they hurried into the airport, pulling along a small carryon and her satchel; she was running late for her flight. "And remember, we drive on the right side of the road here."

"How would you like to come home to a lime green and spotted yellow jeep?" he warned, catching the keys, one handed, as he held her briefcase in the other.

"Then it will match the black and blue you will be when I get back."

"Actually, I was going to invite Karen to the drive-in, since she's offered to help me with the store room."

"Fine, but no sex in my jeep, I just had the upholstery cleaned."

"Sydney! I would never do that without you."

She stopped in mid stride and he almost slammed into her. "Excuse me?"

"Permission! W…without your…" He grabbed the suitcase and continued walking "Come on or you'll miss your flight!"

Sydney grinned and followed.

"Do you have your slides?" he asked as they hurried towards airport security.

"Yes, you packed them yesterday, remember?"

"Right." He handed over her ticket and boarding pass as they entered the line of passengers waiting to be scanned through. "Are you sure you don't want me to come?"

"Yes." No, she suddenly did want him with her, but brushed off the feeling. "We'll get more work done if we separate and we already talked about this."

"I know, I just…" He lifted his hand, as if to touch her cheek, then pulled back. "I always worry when you go off on your own."

"I was going off on my own before I even met you."

"That's different!"

Sydney knew that, she didn't have near the enemies then that she did now. "I called maintenance about the kitchen sink, they said they'd have someone come by between noon and three today, so make sure you're there to let him in."

"I will." Nigel promised. "And don't you let anyone talk you into looking for anything while you're in Chicago," he warned. "You're only to do the seminars then come straight back…"

"I promise to call if anything juicy comes my way."

"That's not what I said at all!"

Her smile widened because it was what he meant and they both knew it. She wouldn't go off on a hunt without him, she'd promised not to, since the last time she almost died on one; alone.

"Your itinerary is in the pocket of your briefcase," He handed her the case. "Don't forget to call Janet as she wanted you to have lunch with her."

"I thought I wasn't allowed to go anywhere, but my hotel and the seminars?" she teased as the line moved and they got closer to the security scanners.

"You know exactly what I meant!" He glared at her. "Besides, you're hardly a woman to listen when someone tries to limit your actions."

"So I can have lunch with Janet?"

"Sydney!"

"Can I shop?"

He pursed his lips. "If you must."

She laughed as the people just ahead of them went through security and set her briefcase and satchel in the bin as Nigel hefted her case onto the conveyer. "I'll be good, I promise."

"Yes, do," Nigel grinned as she hugged him. "Call me when you arrive."

"I'll think ab…" Sydney's words were cut off as Nigel kissed her quickly on the lips, then just as suddenly pulled back, shocked by his own deed.

"I…I…" He released her. "I don't know why I d…did that."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Nice." Then she was heading through security and waving from the other side as she collected her things and headed for her gate. "Miss me?"

"I can't miss you until you've gone!" he laughed and waved at her. "Go! Go!"

She waved. "No wild parties!"

"Be gone woman!"

"Take good care of my pussy!"

He flushed when several people looked at him. "I'm sleeping on your side of the bed for that!"

She laughed and soon disappeared among the throng of people heading for their gates.

Nigel smiled, flipped her keys in the air and caught them, then headed out.

* * *

Karen held up a ceramic vase. "What about this one?" she asked and watched Nigel glance over from the small shelf of figurines he was labeling and sorting.

"Tag it and put it with the box for Henry," he advised and turned back to what he was doing.

The store room was very dry, as the relics had to be protected from moisture, but that also made it quite hot for a person standing inside of it. He had donned the lightest cargo's he'd owned and a plain tank that left his neck and arms exposed. Karen wore ridiculously short shorts a tube top and sandals, her hair pulled back in a pony tail. While she dressed to work, she still managed to look extremely sexy and Nigel was having the devil's time concentrating on the artifacts and not her long, exposed legs.

Karen attached a small red tag to the vase, wrapped it in a sheet of chemical free paper and then again in bubble wrap, and placed it in the large box that would be going to the local museum. She straightened and put her hand to her aching back. She considered herself pretty fit, but if she was going to have aching muscles, she could think of a much better way of earning them than bending and lifting in a musty store room.

She glanced over at him and couldn't help but smile. She so rarely saw him in a short sleeve, much less a sleeveless shirt and his arms, while they couldn't be considered muscular, were very nicely toned. Her heart went out to him as he wiped the perspiration from his brow and jotted down comments on his clipboard.

"I'm roasting!" she said. "Let's step out for a bit and get a drink."

"Good idea." He nodded and set the clipboard down. "I think I've lost three stone just standing here." He stepped into the outer Ancient Studies office. "Thanks so much for your help, Karen."

"No problem!" She beamed at him. "I'm gonna go grab us a couple of waters from the machine, back in a flash."

He nodded, reached into his pocket for his handkerchief, ran it under the tap of the water cooler and wiped his face with it. The water was cool, but not cold as the bottles from vending would be.

His cell phone buzzed on his desk and he reached for it, smiling at a text from Sydney.

**_*Miss me yet?*_**

He texted back.

**_*Sorry who is this?*_**

**_* :-p *_**

**_* :-) *_**

**_*How's my pussy?*_**

Nigel dropped into his desk chair and grinned as he texted.

**_*Messy and loud*_**

_***8-0***_

He chuckled and watched Karen enter with two bottles of water and a bag of chips each. She set one bottle in front of him, perched on his desk, then winced and put her hand to her back.

**_*How goes SR?*_**

**_*Dry and dusty. How is seminar?*_**

**_*Same.*_**

**_*LOL*_**

He glanced up again as Karen started to stretch, trying to work out her sore muscles and as she bent low from the waist gave him a delightful view of her posterior. The arrival of another text from Sydney brought his attention back to his phone.

**_*Careful of UR back!*_**

He smiled and texted.

**_*We may require jkuzi.*_**

**_*No Sex! ;) *_**

He shook his head as Karen perched on his desk again and opened her bottle of water.

"What's funny?" she asked.

"Sydney, she's bored so she is texting me." He turned back to his phone.

**_*Must dash. Be Good.*_**

**_* :-( XXOO*_**

Nigel was both surprised and flattered by the hugs and kisses and slowly smiled.

"Everything okay?" Karen inquired as Nigel opened his bottle and took several long swallows.

"Yes." He sat back and played with the label on his bottle, wondering what Sydney would be doing that evening, and who she might be doing it with. "Have you decided what movie you want to see?"

Karen groaned. "Honestly? I don't think I'll be able to sit though one, my muscles are aching and we're only half way through."

He peeled off the label and looked up at her. "We can solve that, Syd said we can use her soaker."

Karen brightened. "Really?"

"And we could always rent some films, if you like?"

"That would be great." She stood, energized. "You provide the soak and I'll fix us supper."

He grinned and rose. "Excellent. Now let's get back to work."

Karen groaned.

They finished up two hours later, Nigel dropped by Karen's to let her grab a change of clothes, then they stopped at the market for fixings for supper and headed back to Sydney's loft.

"I'm going to take a quick rinse first," he told her as they entered and Maftet greeted them, loudly demanding food. Nigel automatically picked her up and scratched her ears. "The tub is just through those doors, if you want to change and get the jets going?"

Karen nodded and set her bag of groceries on the counter. "Let me put this stuff away first." She smiled as Maftet pawed at her and couldn't resist petting the animal. "I can feed this one too."

"Lovely," He set the cat down. "I'll only be a minute."

She nodded and watched him jog upstairs to Sydney's platform bedroom, then found the cat food and filled Maftet's bowl. She put the fresh salmon and vegetables she had bought in the fridge, left the bottle of wine on the counter, and then headed to Sydney's work out area to change.

Nigel appeared in a robe and swim trunks just as Karen slid into the hot water, wearing a hot pink bikini.

"Oooohhhhh. I'd marry Syd for this kind of treatment," she moaned as Nigel slipped off his robe and stepped in.

"It is slightly addicting," he admitted as Maftet hopped up on the edge of the tub and settled just left of Nigel's head, to stare at Karen. "You certainly earned it. I really appreciate all of your help today, Karen."

She sighed and dipped down almost to her neck. "Hey, anymore store rooms, I'm there, as long as we can do this after."

He smiled and absently caressed Maftet's back. The cat purred in appreciation and arched her torso, but never took her eyes off Karen.

"So, how are things going with you and Syd?"

"Fine."

"Any more word about your Visa?" Karen asked. "You know they called the Dean and recommended that he suspend you until the issue was sorted."

"What?" Nigel's eyes widened. "When?"

"About two months ago, it was after you guys were married. The Dean told them that he would decide who worked for him and that if they didn't want to support your working here, he'd treat you like any other immigrant and pay you under the table." Karen grinned. "Macy overheard the whole thing and told me. He really let them have it, apparently."

Nigel smiled and felt a flood of warmth fill him. "That was very generous of him."

"Nobody wants to lose you, Nigel. You and Syd have done too much for that place and everyone knows it." She lifted her arms out of the water and tried to entice Maftet to her side, but the cat remained where she was and continued to stare. "Why does she keep looking at me like that?"

"Who?"

"Sydney's cat. It's creeping me out."

Nigel glanced at the animal and shrugged. "Who knows, she's odd sometimes." Nigel picked up the cat and lightly dropped her over the side to the floor, but the cat bounced back up and returned to her position, and her staring. "Very odd." He smiled at Karen. "Ignore her. She is probably just being sensitive because Syd isn't here." He smirked. "You know Sydney argues with her?"

"Who?"

"With the cat. I hear them in the morning when she is getting Maftet's breakfast, Sydney is telling her to be quiet teasing the cat for eating so much and the animal seems to answer her, honestly it's the funniest thing I've ever witnessed."

Karen grinned and stood up, revealing her barely-there suit. She took three steps across and started to sit next to Nigel, only to have Maftet hiss at her. "What is her problem?"

"Quit it!" he warned the cat and gave her a mild shove, so she rolled off the ledge, surprised. "Pay her no mind. I'm surprised she's even in here. She doesn't usually like the sound of the jets or the water."

"Where did Sydney get her, anyway?" Karen asked settling beside him.

"I don't believe she ever told me, probably a shelter or something." Maftet bounced up beside him again, glared at Karen and growled low in her throat; the way only cat's can. "Her last owner probably tossed her for misbehaving," he said deliberately and Maftet turned to him, blinked as if hurt. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." He remembered the animal's attack on Ross and stroked her head. "You're a sweetheart, really." He turned back at Karen's giggle. "What?"

"I think Sydney's rubbing off on you," she teased. "Now you're talking to a cat."

"Yes…well…"He blushed and grinned. "How is your brother?"

"Over the moon. Got himself a new girlfriend, I hardly ever hear from him."

"Well, he's young and at that age love is everything, even puppy love."

Karen smiled and put her hand on his knee beneath the water. "You're not exactly an old man, Nigel."

Nigel's temperature immediately skyrocketed, but he forced himself to calm down. "What is it Indy said? It's not the age it's the mileage?" He sighed. "Sometimes I feel as ancient as the relics Sydney and I hunt."

"Maybe you just need some pretty young thing to rejuvenate you?" She slid a little closer so their legs were touching. "I mean, after all this stuff with your Visa and Syd is worked out, you should consider a more…youthful way of life?"

"I think I'll be okay."

Realizing he wasn't going to flirt back, Karen hid her disappointment behind a smile. "So, what other tidbits can you tell me about Sydney?"

"Karen, I am not going to gossip."

"No, no, nothing bad." She shrugged. "It's just, Sydney seems so perfect and put together all the time, it would be nice to hear a little something that is out of character, you know?"

"There really isn't anything to tell. She argues with her cat and she likes to watch the tele before going to sleep. That's really about it." At least, that was all he was going to discuss with anyone. He wouldn't betray Sydney like that, not even to Karen.

"What do you like to do before you go to sleep, Nigel?"

"Lie down, usually."

"Typical guy!" Karen grinned and slapped his arm, playfully. "I bet you just fall over and drop off in seconds, don't you?"

"I've no idea what you mean by being typical, but I never used to fall asleep easily," he admitted. "I think working with Syd over the years has just trained me to grab sleep when I can. There have been times when we might only get an hour or two on a hunt, depending on the situation, so it would be detrimental to lay awake thinking when you have so little time to rest."

"I guess." Karen sank down to her neck again. "I like to take a hot bath just before bed, it relaxes me."

Nigel tried to keep that vision out of his mind, he was having enough difficulty dealing with her next to him in a next-to-nothing swim suit. Perhaps the Jacuzzi hadn't been his best idea, but she was sore and had worked hard for him all day. He felt he should give her some kind of reward.

"Yes, well I'm about done." He rose and reached for his robe. "Let's get dinner started, and then we can watch a film."

* * *

"Sydie!"

"Jan!" Sydney opened her arms for her friend, whose skin shone like brushed mahogany against a stylish cream colored suit. "God! It's been forever!"

Janet laughed and kissed Sydney's cheek as they settled at patio table of a popular restaurant. "Girl, you look amazing!"

Sydney settled in her chair, hung her satchel on the chair and grinned. "So do you! I love the bob it's a great look for you."

"I just got tired of all that hair." Janet patted her dark locks. "With this I wash and go. It's great!"

"I've thought about cutting mine that short, but I always chicken out," Sydney admitted as a waiter appeared with a bottle of wine that Janet had already requested. "I like my long hair."

"Once you go short you'll never regret it," Janet smirked as the waiter handed them their menus. "At least with hair!"

Sydney laughed and they took a moment to make their selections, then once the waiter had wandered off continued to chat. "How is Russell?"

"In the wind. He was drinking too much coffee."

Sydney scowled, confused. "You kicked him out for drinking coffee?"

"No, I kicked him out for screwing the little tart at Starbucks, he was going there four times a day."

Sydney bit hard on her lip. "I'm so sorry, Janet."

"Go ahead and laugh, I'm over it." Janet waved her hand and picked up her glass of wine. "At least I caught on before I married him this time. It took me five years to catch on to Joe, and then he blamed our marriage failing on me being obsessed with my career."

Sydney nodded. Her friend had been married twice and seemed to have a revolving door when it came to boyfriends; but hadn't been lucky enough to make find one that fit. "Some men just can't handle a successful or driven woman." Sydney spoke with some experience on that front herself.

"Don't I know it!" Janet lifted her glass in a toast and Sydney did the same. "To being single."

Sydney managed a smile, clicked her glass against Janet's and tried to avoid the pinch in her stomach. She'd removed her rings for the seminar and for lunch with her friend, because she didn't want to have to answer questions, but now she felt like she was cheating again.

"Or perhaps not?" Janet smiled at Sydney and sipped her wine. "Is there a Mr. Right in the picture?"

"No." Sydney shook her head automatically and again felt that odd cramp. "Who has time, right?"

"What about that ski instructor you were seeing?"

"Hans?" Sydney rolled her eyes. "God, Janet that was almost two years ago."

"Well, we're both so horrible at keeping in touch, how can I remember?" she retorted and Sydney laughed. "Seriously there's something different about you, Sydie. Did you change your hair?"

"No."

"Lost weight?"

"Not much."

"Boob job?"

Sydney cracked up. "Janet!"

"Well, if you hadn't said Hans was in the wind I'd say you had the look of someone in love, so it has to be something."

"You're imagining things," Sydney retorted. She was feeling pretty good lately, but then they hadn't been as busy with hunts either, so she had more time to relax. She chalked whatever her friend was seeing in her up to that.

Their meals arrived and after a few mouthfuls Janet spoke. "So, how is that delicious assistant of yours? Have you tapped that yet?"

Sydney almost choked on her shrimp. "No! Nigel and I are just friends, Janet. I've told you that before."

"Hmmm." Janet pierced a piece of asparagus with her fork. "Well, if you ever get tired of him, send him my way. I'm always looking for husband number three."

As much as Sydney adored her friend, the idea of Janet and Nigel as a couple bothered her. "You'll be the first," she lied.

"You should have invited him to have lunch with us. He could have read out the menu, while I had a private little orgasm over his voice."

Sydney smirked scooped some rice from her plate; Janet had a thing about British accents. "He's not here."

"No? He's your assistant; doesn't he usually come with you on your trips?"

"Yes, but I just had a couple of seminars and we needed to get some work done at the University, so he is taking care of that."

Janet smiled. "He's certainly lasted longer than your other men," she commented. "What's it been now…six, seven years?"

"Seven," Sydney admitted and realized that they hadn't done anything to celebrate their anniversary this year. Oh right, they'd been in Nicaragua at the time, and of course the whole issue with his visa and quickie marriage had thrown their patterns off. She made a mental note to plan something for them when she got home.

"Seven years of listening to that voice and looking at that fine young body and you haven't even had a quick romp?" Janet sat back and sipped her wine. "That's not the Sydney I know."

Sydney shrugged, agitated. "He is my friend, my partner. Our relationship is strictly platonic."

"Friends can be lovers."

"Not successfully, and not if they want to stay friends." Sydney had learned that the hard way.

"Bullshit." Janet set her glass down and sat forward. "Look at wasi-her-name, Betty, Barbie...Bambie…The one we hung out with at University, the med student."

"Beverley Wilde?" Sydney asked, curious.

"Right! She was always hanging out with Craig Masterson, remember that hunky bookworm? They were study partners and always together."

"Yeah, but Bev married a contractor a few years out of school. She and Craig were never a couple."

"But everyone thought they should be, and Bev divorced her contractor four years ago!"

Sydney's eyes widened. "Really?" She was out of touch. "Why?"

"He couldn't handle her being the bread winner and the hours she worked." Janet waved her hand. "Anyway, she called me up after, and we had a long talk. She said she needed to get away for awhile and had signed up for that program Doctor's Without Borders."

"Good for her!" Sydney smiled. "She'll soon forget all about Kevin."

"Oh, she forgot him, all right, she met her current husband there."

Sydney gaped at Janet. "Not Craig Masterson?"

Janet nodded smugly. "They hadn't seen each other in almost twenty years, and Janet said it was if they'd never been apart. Craig always understood her, you know? The way no one else could, and they were both interested in the same things, worked in the same field."

Sydney sat back, stunned. "I…That's great!"

"I've never seen Bev happier, Sydie. They're planning their first child!" She sat back again and picked up her glass. "Craig understands her drive to heal people, and doesn't get pissed off about the hours she works because he is the same. They were friends and they still are, but they're also a couple and honestly, I've never seen a stronger match." She laughed as the waiter returned to refill their glasses. "I saw them at a party just last month and it was so cute. It was like they read each other's minds and didn't even need to speak anymore. Craig would get her a drink without being asked, she'd take the mushrooms off his plate because he doesn't care for them. They were finishing each others sentences and were just unbelievably, adorably in love."

Sydney's cramp worsened and she felt a surge of envy stab her heart. Janet could be describing her and Nigel and the similarities were alarming. Sure, Bev and Craig had made it work, but she wasn't willing to risk losing Nigel if it didn't work out. She couldn't!

Janet, noticed her friend's sudden melancholy. "Sydie," she said and reached across the table for Sydney's hand. "The right guy is out there for you too, you just have to open your eyes to it."

"Not Nigel," she refused. "You saw what happened with me and Aaron. I won't risk Nigel like that. I can't lose him, Jan."

"Honey, Aaron was a selfish prick and nothing like Nigel."

"No. We're not like that. You don't understand…"

Honey, you will lose him eventually. He'll find a woman he wants to marry and no matter how nice this woman may be, she won't suffer another woman, a beautiful and secure woman, being closer to her husband than she can be."

Sydney knew that Janet was right and it was on the tip of her tongue to mention her marriage to Nigel, but she couldn't. Their marriage wasn't real and so it had no weight in their discussion. She shrugged off her uncertainty and depression and reached for her drink. "Nigel and I are fine and we'll always be fine. I hope he does find someone to love that makes him happy, he deserves it."

What about you, a voice inside her asked and she almost choked on the liquid in her mouth.

"You okay?" Janet asked, concerned.

Sydney nodded and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "Fine." She suddenly remembered their fantastic kiss in the bleachers, and the way he kissed her good-bye at her airport. Could he feel more for her than he was letting on? He'd turned down her suggestion of sex, despite their mutual attraction, and they both had been unable to go through having sex with someone else.

She knew he was just as frightened of changing their relationship as she was, but did that mean that there was a possibility of it changing? Could it work for her and Nigel the way it had for Beverly and Craig?

"Sydney?"

Sydney focused on Janet and suddenly rose. "Sorry, Jan." She looked at her watch, her flight out wasn't until later that evening, but she suddenly had the urge to go home. "I'm going to miss my flight, I'd better run."


	18. Chapter 18

DISCLAIMER: RH mine. Some Nigel 'quirks' for Mistress Celeste. Please enjoy and review.

**CHAPTER 18**

Sydney entered her loft, set her cases by the door and immediately caught a familiar scent. Curious she followed it out onto her terrace and found Nigel reading a newspaper with a cigar between his lips. "Nigel!"

She startled him so badly he almost caught the paper on fire. "Sydney!" He hoped up from the chair, caught the cigar and quickly hid it behind his back and he slapped the newspaper to his chest, as if he were naked. "Y…you're back early!"

She raised her eyebrow, snatched the paper away from him and moved closer, watched him step back against the railing. "You're smoking!" she accused.

"I…I….no…well…yes…" He pulled the cigar forward, reluctantly and looked at it. "Your father gave it to me. It…it would have been rude to…"

She crossed her arms over her chest and kept her expression blank, trying not to laugh. "You told me you didn't smoke!"

"I…I don't…didn't…Only cigars and…only very…very occasionally." He bit his lip. "I didn't smoke it inside, and…and I didn't expect you back until this evening."

"I got an earlier flight." She'd decided to take a cab and surprise Nigel, but it was she who got the surprise. She certainly hadn't expected her partner to be sitting on her patio, wearing a red velvet smoking jacket, smoking a cigar and drinking cognac. He looked like someone from 17th century society, debonair and ridiculously handsome.

"Nice jacket." She stepped up and took the cigar away from him, then slid it between her lips and inhaled. "Mmmm…Dad always gets the best Cubans."

Nigel blinked as Sydney continued to enjoy his cigar, wondered why it even surprised him that she could, did smoke them, and then was further startled by the fact that she looked sexy as hell doing it. "You're not…upset with me?"

"Relax, Nigel. Everyone's entitled to a vice or two." She took another puff and handed it back; cigars always reminded her of her father; and pointed to his drink. "I wouldn't mind one of those, if there's any left?"

"Yes, sure!" He stepped inside, then remembered the cigar and stepped back to set it in an ashtray that must have come from his place, then hurried inside to pour her a cognac.

Sydney smiled, slid off her suit jacket and toed off her heels so she could rest her tired feet on the painted railing of her terrace. She stretched and stared out over the park and the city beyond. She loved her loft. She loved being home, and she had to admit, it was great having someone there to greet her. All her earlier discomfort melted away the moment she had spotted Nigel on her terrace.

When Nigel returned she was disappointed that he no longer wore his jacket, but she could tell that he felt vulnerable with her seeing him in it so didn't comment. Besides, she liked the blue polo and dark slacks he had worn beneath it almost as much.

He set her glass on the table beside her, silently admired her exposed feet and black camisole. "Here you are, Syd." He sat down and picked up his cigar. "I have another of these, as well, if you're interested?"

"No, I'll just share yours." She picked up her drink and sipped it, then leaned her head back and sighed. It really was good to be home. "So, when did you start smoking?"

"I reckon I caught a taste for them after that time in Paris, when we were looking for the crown jewels?"

Sydney did recall her brilliant idea of having Nigel light a cigar and blow smoke across the inferred sensor beams in the room so she could bend and contorted her way through them to get to the bottle of wine that was said to contain the jewels. "You said you didn't smoke then."

"I didn't," he agreed. "But when we were in China with your dad offered me one and…" Nigel shrugged. "It really is only on occasion. You don't mind do you?"

She shook her head and sipped her cognac. "Why don't you wear sandals?" she asked suddenly, glancing at the loafers on his feet. It was warm outside, the sun was low in the sky, but would not set for several hours. She realized, at school or in the field, he always had shoes or boots on.

"I don't care for them, they make me feel…undressed."

"They're sandals, Nigel, not lingerie."

He shrugged. "Why do you eat your food counter clockwise?"

"Because it tastes better that way," she grinned. "Did you have any trouble with the cat?"

"None at all. We built a tower out of your shoes, and then took turns trying on your underwear."

Sydney laughed. "You did not!"

"I especially like those black satin panties, very soft against the skin."

"Nigel!" she grabbed his folded newspaper and bopped him on the head with it, making him giggle. "How did it go at the office?"

"Fine. The storage room is well sorted now, and I also gave several little accent pieces to Henry."

Sydney held out her fingers and Nigel gave her the cigar. "I'm sure he appreciated that," she said as she took two long puffs and handed it back.

"Oh yes. Karen got a vivacious hug and I a kiss on each cheek."

She smiled thinking of how excited the curator would have been with the pieces; and he had a major crush on Nigel; but then, who didn't? "And how was the movie?"

"Oh, we didn't go, we stayed in instead," he announced. "Karen made a dinner and we watched some films here."

Sydney was startled by the prickle of discomfort that squirmed its way into her heart and wondered what else they had done here? "Anything else?" she asked, tightly.

"We made use of your Jacuzzi, but you texted me permission, remember?" He doused the remainder of his cigar and took a sip of his cognac. "We were both incredibly sore after all day in the store room."

"I'll bet," she muttered and took a long swallow of her drink, picturing Karen in the tiniest bikini that could be bought, her wet, busy hands all over her Nigel…She almost choked on the liquid in her mouth, appalled for even allowing her thoughts to travel that road.

"Are you okay?" Nigel asked concerned.

She waved her hand, coughing and set her drink down. "Fine," she wheezed. Her own fault for thinking about things like that. Damn Janet for stirring the pot! "So..." She cleared her throat. "How…what else did you do while I was gone, besides smoke cigars and drink?"

"Not overly much." Nigel scowled at her tone. "I wasn't aware I'd have to account for my every deed, but I'll be sure to have a full itinerary prepared, next time for you." He rose, grabbed his glass and stepped inside.

Sydney groaned at her own stupidity, slid her feet off the rail, and went after him, limping slightly because her new shoes had pinched the hell out of her feet. "Nigel!" she called as he stopped in the kitchen to set his glass in the sink.

"It was one cigar and one drink, Sydney!" he insisted, hurt. "I am allowed to enjoy some things, am I not, or am I your assistant here as well as at work, to wait on you hand and foot and wait for instruction?"

She caught up to him and put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I had no right to be so pushy. I want you to feel at home here, Nigel, not because you have to, but because you want to."

"Why are you limping?"

"New shoes."

He shook his head at her. "Why do women insist on purchasing things that do not fit them properly?" he demanded and helped her over to the sofa, his earlier annoyance forgotten. "Why didn't you buy a larger size?"

"They didn't…ow…have a larger…ow… size and they were…ow,ow,ow… two pretty to pass up." She dropped down on the sofa with relief, and was surprised when Nigel immediately settled on the other end and pulled her feet up onto his lap.

"You should have left them on the shelf," he scolded and started to massage her feet, pulling a delicious moan of appreciation from her. "It would serve you right if you grew blisters."

"I know," she admitted and closed her eyes in ecstasy as he rubbed his thumb along the ball of her right foot. "I…I don't pay you enough. Remind me to give you a…a…ahhh…raise."

He smirked and continued to work on her foot. "I'm sorry for snapping, earlier."

She kept her eyes closed and just lay back, letting him work his magic on her poor aching feet. "My fault. I was being nosy."

"I didn't do much worth mentioning, really, Syd, and I only had Karen over the one evening. I didn't think you'd mind since it's…well… Karen."

She wanted to say that because it was Karen she minded most, but she wisely kept her mouth shut. "Nigel…" She lifted her head and forced her eyes open to focus on him. "Do I really make you feel like a servant?"

"No." He shook his head and started on her left foot. "Of course not. I didn't mean that."

"Are you sure? If I ever make you feel like…well like you have to wait on me I want you to tell me. You should never feel that way."

"I don't." Most of the time, he added silently and took an interest in her pink painted toenails. "I don't know why I said that." He pushed his thumbs along her innersole, heard her contented moan; and had to work not to smile. "Are you going to tell me why you are upset that I had Karen over?"

"I'm not upset."

He stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"Ooh…don't stop!"

"Then don't lie to me." He started to massage her foot again. "You went from summer breeze to arctic cold in seconds flat the moment I mentioned Karen being here, now please, tell me why it bothers you? Do you…do you think something happened between Karen and I?"

Sydney bit her lip and lay back again, tossing an arm over her eyes, sure they were glowing green. "Did it?"

His gaze remained intent on his task. "Would it bother you?"

She shrugged and decided not to answer. He continued to massage her foot, waiting patiently, without speaking. That was fine, she could hold ouuuuuuuut! "Ahhh…" He hit a specific pressure point that almost sent her over the edge, and then stopped touching her. She opened her eyes and whimpered in protest, realizing he wasn't going to continue until she answered his question.

"You said it would be wrong!" she accused rearing up, surprised at herself. "We made vows to each other and we said it would be wrong!"

"Yes," he agreed. "So why would you even consider I would do such a thing?"

She shrugged and lay back again.

"Would it bother you, Syd?" he asked again.

"Maybe," she muttered and cursed herself, knowing such an admission would make things weird between them again. And the ridiculous part was she didn't know _why_ it would bother her. She was taken aback when he started the massage again and opened her eyes to peer at him.

"Likewise," he returned quietly.

Sydney felt an unfamiliar warmth spread through her and her eyes misted a little.

"I'd be devastated if Karen slept with you before me, it would be a horrible blow to my ego."

She laughed and threw a pillow at him, then sighed and wiggled her toes against his fingers. "I _missed_ you."

"I…" His cell phone rang and Sydney reached for the coffee table to pick it up for him. He glanced at the display and answered. "Go."

Sydney watched him listen to the caller, without speaking, for several minutes, while his hand absently caressed her lower calf. Did he realize he was doing that, she wondered? She was even more curious about why he wasn't saying anything to the person on the phone. His expression didn't appear upset, more intent than anything and perhaps just a little wistful. She hoped it wasn't bad news.

Just when she couldn't take not knowing any longer, and started to ask who it was, when Nigel spoke.

"Well done. Bye." He ended the call, tossed his cell on the table and went back to work on her feet, as if nothing had happened.

Sydney waited for him to tell her who it was and when he didn't she barked at him. "Nigel!"

He jumped a little, startled by her tone. "What!"

"Who _was_ that?"

"Just Preston."

She scowled. The brothers had made up over the last few years, and although Sydney couldn't call them close, they were definitely better than they had been. "Is something wrong?"

"No?"

"Are you guys fighting again?"

"Not at all. Why do you ask?""

She glared at him. "You just sat there and didn't say anything for about ten minutes, Nigel! Did he call long distance just so you could give him the silent treatment or what?"

"Oh, that." Nigel realized the issue and almost smiled. "No, nothing is wrong, Syd. That…it's something we do every year on our parent's birthday."

"Call and not speak to each other?"

He chuckled. "Preston was talking, so I couldn't speak. He was reading a passage from a book. I told him it was good and we hung up."

"I don't get it."

He wet his lips as he considered how to explain it. "You know that our parents died?"

She nodded.

"Well, despite our differences over the years, Preston and I promised each other, after their death, to always remember them on their birthdays. Mum's is today, Dad's is in December." His hands moved up her leg, just a little, to her calf and started to massage the area. "They were both avid readers, as are Preston and I, and every year on our parent's birthdays, one of us calls the other and reads out a passage from a book that makes us think of them. We can't repeat, so it gets harder every year, but as I said, we both read a lot, so we can usually manage to find something."

Sydney's heart quickened and her knees turned to jelly at the idea of such a unique and perfect tribute. "That's a beautiful idea," she murmured, touched beyond reason.

He nodded and his hands grew still finally. "I've got a jolly good piece for Dad's, one I know Preston wouldn't recognize because he doesn't really read fiction and I found this passage in an Isaac Asimov novel."

"Can I hear it?"

He shook his head. "We agreed to only recite on their birthdays, but you can hear it when I call him in December, if you like?"

"Yes please." She smiled and considered the invitation a great honor. "Thank you, Nigel."

"Do you do anything for your mum?" He paused when her expression saddened. "God, I'm sorry, Syd."

"No, it's okay. We planted a tree for her on the island after she died; she loved gardening and believed in giving back to nature." She shrugged. "Then I was in boarding school or travelling with Dad, so it was hard doing anything special like that." She felt a pang of guilt and sadness at the thought that Nigel and Preston found a way to keep the memory of their parents alive, and she had not done the same for her mother.

Nigel reached for her hand, sensing her sorrow. "Well, maybe we can start one?" he offered kindly. "You said you planted a tree for her? That she liked nature?" Sydney nodded. "When was her birthday?"

April 4th."

"Right, so this April 4th, we'll plant another tree in her name," he offered. "And there is a community garden at the Rictor Center. Let's see we can plant a rose bush or something for her there? Other people do it as a memory of someone they've lost."

"Really?" Sydney felt her eyes sting with tears and wondered why she hadn't though to do something like that. "You…you'd do that with me?"

"Of course, and let's let your Dad know too, maybe he can come for it." He smiled at her. "Start a new family tradition for your Mum."

She pulled her legs down and threw herself into his arms. "Oh, Nigel." A family tradition, he'd said, and it sounded right. They were family.

Nigel smiled and hugged her. "I missed you, too, Syd," he finally admitted.


	19. Chapter 19

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine. Please read and review if you like it. Thanks!

**CHAPTER 19**

Nigel was attempting to match the tempo of the song he was dancing to with a tall, buxom woman, but the sexual promises she was making in his ear was playing havoc with his sense of rhythm. It was actually a fast song, well, faster than what justified her body clinging to his anyway.

Nigel liked being home, but now he wished Sydney had just RSVP'd that they would be unable to attend, as they had the last three years in a row, but instead he'd been dragged to this ridiculous Museum Ball and was now faced with an amorous, intoxicated dance partner.

The song ended and he almost collapsed in relief, the woman must have extra hands hidden under her fancy dress, although where she could put them in the skin-tight, backless gown he couldn't even begin to imagine.

"Oooh, over already?" she pouted and wrapped her arms around Nigel's neck, leaning heavily on him as she nibbled his ear. "I have a room upstairs…"

"May I cut in?"

"Yes please!" Nigel declared and literally had to pry the woman off of him.

"Back off sister, he's mine."

Sydney held up her left hand, showing her rings. "Actually, _sister_, he's mine."

She glared and the stomped away as Sydney stepped into Nigel's arms.

"Are you okay?"

"Not one bit."

"That good, huh?"

"You've no idea."

"Poor baby," she smirked at his small moan. "What did she promise you?"

"I couldn't repeat it without bursting into flames."

She pulled back and looked at him. "You can go with her if you like, Nigel."

"No, I couldn't." Although he had considered it, briefly. "I'd only get there and be riddled with guilt."

"I give you permission…"

"It's not about that, Syd, and you know it." He spun her out and pulled her back in and admired the way her black dress brushed the floor as she twirled. Her hair was up in a stylish chignon and she wore a simple silver chain with a diamond pearl drop in the center, which matched her earrings. "You look magnificent tonight, did I tell you?"

"Yes, but it's nice to hear again." Sydney was relieved at his decision not partake in an affair, although she truly wouldn't have held it against him.

"I thought we agreed not to wear our rings?"

Sydney glanced at her rings and shrugged. They hadn't wanted to answer any awkward questions, there were too many people here they knew and worked with and word would spread. Then they'd have to deal with the speculation after they divorced.

"I couldn't resist not wearing my rose," she admitted, but had worn it on her right hand. "Then when I saw the barracuda mauling you I thought it would be a good lead in, and I had the band in my purse."

"You should probably take them off before someone notices."

"Who cares?"

The Museum Ball was always stuffy and boring, but the food was good and tonight's band rocked. Sydney had already had two glasses of champagne as their hotel was just up the street, and she was feeling good. She didn't care about anyone else at that particular moment.

Nigel smiled at her. "I'm fine with it if you are," he said, pulled his wedding band off of his right hand and sliding it onto his left. They both paused, looked around to see if anyone noticed; no one did.

They smiled at each other.

"How about that?" He slid his hand back to his position in the middle of her back. "Now if we could only manage a polite avenue of escape we'd be golden."

"Well, I can't promise anything nearly as good as Octo-Barbie," she teased, fully aware that she could promise far better, but not with Nigel. "But how's this…" She leaned in and whispered in his ear as the other woman had done, promising him a walk along the Thames, a stop for a beer at a pub of his choice, then back to the hotel for some gin rummy.

"Oh, far better than anything she said," he lied charmingly, hoping that she didn't notice the quickening of his heart her sensual whisper caused. "Be still my heart."

"It's hard being a pretty boy, isn't it?"

"Sometimes," he admitted as the band played Time in a Bottle.

"Oh, I love this song." She moved closer in his arms and lay her cheek against his. "Can we stay for one more?"

He nodded, lowered his eyes and slid his hand a little further up her back, just above the scoop of material gathered at the back of her dress. The warmth and softness of her bare skin against his fingers was intoxicating, but this was Sydney and he quickly stifled the spike of desire that reared inside of him.

They danced in silence through the first verse and then Sydney said. "I remember the Muppets doing this song, it always makes me think of them." She smiled and pulled back to look at him, noticed his lashes were still lowered. "Nigel?"

"Hmmm?"

"Do you remember the Muppets doing this song?"

He shook his head and missed a dance step before recovering.

"What's wrong?" She caught his chin and pulled it up, shocked to see tears shimmering in his eyes. "What is it, sweetie?"

He shook his head again and swallowed a few times to get the lump out. Her sweet endearment had almost been his undoing. "Nothing."

"Nigel. Please, tell me."

He had to clear his throat to get the words out. "I…it…This is…This is the song my Dad always used to put on to…to dance with my Mum, that's all."

Oh no! "Why didn't you say so?" She started to pull away and was surprised when his arm tightened, almost urgently.

"Stay," he whispered. "Stay and dance with me, Syd." He touched his cheek to hers, intertwined their fingers. "It…it's not a bad memory, it's just…"

"I know," she whispered and she did, for there were certain songs, certain things that reminded her of her mother too, that made her sad and wistful.

They finished the song, and then she took his hand and let him to the patio for some fresh air, pretending not to notice when he thumbed a tear from his cheek. They stood overlooking the city of London and enjoying the summer breeze.

"That's the kind of marriage I want, Syd," he said shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. "One like my parents had. My Dad used to say that he fell in love with Mum all over again, every day. That he sometimes found it hard to breathe when she was around; she affected his heart so much."

Sydney stood beside him at the railing and rubbed his back. "My folks were like that too," she admitted. "Mom was always smiling, always happy, even after she got sick and Dad…" She smirked. "Dad would do anything for her. If he thought he ticked her off even a little he became this complete blithering idiot in an attempt to make it right."

Nigel smiled. "I can't see your Dad that way at all."

She shrugged. "He used to say that he was putty in her hands; that he could deny her nothing, and he didn't either. Anything she wanted he tried to give her, but she never really wanted that much; or didn't seem to." She sighed. "Home, family, that was all she needed. Dad traveled a lot and we were used to it, but when he was home it was like they'd been away from each other for decades instead of just a few months."

Nigel leaned against the railing and clasped his hands together. "My Dad was a bit of a bumbler, I think I inherited more of his genes than Mum's." Sydney smiled as he continued. "He would just get worked up you know? He was so passionate about history and he loved to relive it for us. Several of Mum's vases, lamps and assorted treasures were victims of his passion." He chuckled. "You'd think she'd get upset with him, but she never did. She'd just shake her head, raise her eyes to the heavens and ask why she had fallen in love with such a loveable idiot." He smiled at the memory. "Then she'd tell him to clear the mess."

"Mom and Dad liked to dance when there wasn't any music." Sydney sighed. "I thought that was the most romantic thing in the world, to dance only to your own heart beats. That's what Dad called it, anyway. The dance of love."

"That's the kind of relationship I want to find, Syd. I want a woman who makes me want to rush home to see her, who likes to dance, even when there isn't any music, and who makes me catch my breath all over again every time she smiles at me."

Sydney wrapped her hands around his arm, leaned against his shoulder. "You'll find her," she assured; truly hoping that he did, for no one deserved happiness more than Nigel. "When this mess with your visa is over I'll even help you look."

He laughed and nudged her. "Will you be my Wing Man then?"

"Absolutely, but then you have to do the same and help me find Mr. Right."

"Hmmm, that might be more difficult."

"What?" She glared at him, affronted. "Why?"

"Well, I don't know if there's a bloke out there worthy of you, Syd, and you definitely shouldn't settle for one that isn't."

Sydney melted and went back to leaning on his shoulder. He really did have the nicest way of saying things. "He's out there, and I'll find him. I'm an expert at finding lost treasure, remember?" She ruffled his hair. "I found you, didn't I? My little diamond in the rough."

He snickered. "Rough? I was more coal than diamond."

"You underestimated your potential, that's all. You just needed someone to bring out the brave and talented man inside."

She had done that, he agreed silently, and so much more. He fully believed that he was the man he was today because of Sydney, and for no other reason. She had been diligent at carving that potential out of him, despite his own doubts and fears and sometimes putting herself at risk to prove he could, would, do more than he ever believed possible. It was accept the challenge to man up, or accept the possibility of losing Sydney, and the latter was not an option; not from the very moment he had met her.

He inhaled deeply. "I've missed being home."

"Do you ever want to move back here?" she asked.

"When I settle down and marry," he smirked. "For real anyway. Yes, I think I'd prefer to live here." He paused as he realized that would mean he'd have to leave Sydney, stop working for her.

The whole reason they had started this charade was so they could continue to work together and yet, in all honesty, he'd always assumed he would move back to London when he found the right woman. Maybe he needed to reconsider his options. A lot had changed.

"Or, perhaps I'll stay where she is," he retracted. "Home is where you're happiest, right?"

Sydney nodded. "I think so."

"Do you ever think of living somewhere else, Syd, when you truly settle down I mean?"

"Not really. I moved around so much after my mom died that I think I could be happy pretty much anywhere."

Big Ben chimed and they stood silently listening until the eleventh stroke.

"One more and I would have turned into a pumpkin," Sydney teased.

"And I a rat, I reckon."

"They were mice, not rats!"

He sighed and turned away from the railing. "What say we desert this stinking ship then?"

"So, you're taking me up on my offer?"

"It's the best offer I've had all week."

Sydney smirked as they stepped inside and searched for the Curator to say their good-byes. "What about the blond Succubus? I'm sure she could give you a good ride for your money?"

He made a face. "Or make me ill from the motion." He indicated their host and they quickly walked over and said good bye. He gathered Sydney's light wrap and they stepped outside. "I'd much rather share a beer with my best mate, any day."


	20. Chapter 20

DISCLAIMER: Blah blah, you know it all anyway. This is going much farther than I had intended, so I hope you are not bored. Please review.

**CHAPTER 20**

She smiled and they walked side by side down the street towards the river. "It always smells like rain here," she commented and had the urge to hold Nigel's hand, but refrained.

"We get a fair bit of rain." He inhaled deeply. "It just smells like home to me."

"Did you want to see Preston while we were here?"

"No."

"Nigel."

He smirked at her scolding tone. "He isn't in the city, Syd. He's away on some conference."

"If he was here would you have seen him?"

"Probably not."

She smacked at his arm and grinned. "You're incorrigible."

"But pretty," he reminded, making her laugh.

"Yes, you are." She slapped her hands behind her back when they again reached for him.

She found herself touching him far too often, as she had when they were on the balcony discussing their parents. He didn't seem to mind, but she needed to get a handle on it.

"Pretty, smart, witty and brave."

"Hmmm, quite the package eh?"

She could hear the sarcasm in his voice. "I think so."

"You're about the only one."

"Oh, Nigel. Why would you say that?"

He shrugged and pointed to a pub across the street. "Let's get that drink."

She nodded and followed him in. They found a quiet corner booth and ordered a pint of Guinness each. "Now," Sydney said. "Tell me what you meant out there."

"About what?"

"You know what, Nigel." She smiled as the waitress set a mixture of bar nuts and pretzels on the table.

"I don't know," he evaded and sipped his beer. "It just seems that all the women I date seem to be after only one thing, Syd. The moment I try to make it more than an affair they stop returning my calls. It isn't as if I'm asking them to bloody have my children, just a second or third date that doesn't necessarily involve sex."

Sydney smirked and reached for a handful of nuts. "That doesn't mean they're not interested, Nigel," she reasoned. "It just means you're being too pushy."

"Pushy?"

"Sure, I mean, I like being in a relationship too, but just because you have a few dates, and a good time doesn't mean you have to move in together, for God's sake."

"Seriously?" Nigel stared at her. "You think if a man is showing interest in continuing a relationship he's pushy?"

"Well, maybe pushy isn't the right word for it. I'm not talking about you asking for another date, that's fine, even appreciated usually. I mean when a guy starts calling you at all hours and demanding you make time for them, that's pretty pushy. I'm a busy woman, Nigel, I can't drop everything just because a guy is feeling needy."

"I'm sure they're not asking you to give up your career, Sydney. It's only natural if you meet a woman you like that you'd want to spend more time together. That's what a healthy relationship is for, isn't it?"

Sydney felt the urge to squirm and squashed it. "Sure, but not every moment of every day."

"Who's asked you for that?"

She opened her mouth to reply and realized that none of her boyfriends had asked for that, specifically. Perhaps it just seemed like it. "Well, some men are easily slighted," she rebuked. "They get all defensive and demanding if you miss a date here or there." She reached for some more nuts. "I can't help it if I have to go out of the country suddenly on a hunt. They know what I do when they meet me and it isn't fair of them to expect me to drop everything just because they want a booty call."

Nigel sat back and played with his glass. "No, I suppose not." He thought about him and Cate and how she always put work first. How it had hurt him. He had felt slighted, did that put him in the same category as Sydney's beaus?

Of course, there had been several times he'd also had to cancel dates because of his work; did that make him better or worse than the women that had slighted him? "I…I just think if you like someone, you should make the effort to spend time with them, that's all. You can't get to know someone if you only see each other once a month or less and if…if you have to cancel a date because of…work or…or what not, that shouldn't be a reason to stop trying."

"What are you saying?" she demanded suddenly. "That I'm too caught up in my career and making a name for myself? Too independent to allow a man to interfere? Too…"

"Woah!" Nigel held up his hands. "I didn't say any of that!"

"You insinuated it!" Sydney crossed her arms over her chest, hurt that Nigel would think that of her. That he would be like all the other men she'd met. "You think it's my fault that I can't keep a man, don't you? You think I should give up everything to be someone's little wife, barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen!"

"No!" Nigel was appalled that she would even imagine he'd have such thoughts about her. "Sydney, you…I would never…No one has the right to ask you to change who you are or what you do. I'm just trying to understand what…" He shook his head and realized he was probably getting too personal. "Nothing. Let's…let's change the subject."

"Why? We're having a conversation."

"No, I'm making you upset and I didn't mean to do that."

"What did you mean then?"

"I…" He shook his head again and took several long swallows of beer. "It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters!"

"It's none of my business, Syd."

"I' m sorry." She reached across the table for his hand, realized that her automatic defensiveness had hurt his feelings. "I'm not mad at you, Nigel. I…I guess I'm just sensitive about…that subject."

"Then we should change the subject."

"No. No, I want to talk about it." She realized that while they both understood each had relationship issues, they had never actually discussed it.

She had girl friends, but no one close, no one she could really vent to, and who understood the pressure of what it was like to be Sydney Fox. "It just seems like I get into the same old argument with the guys I date. They keep demanding that I make more time for them, then accuse me of being a glory hound and caring about my career first!"

"They shouldn't say that, Syd," Nigel defended immediately. "A teacher spends just as much time learning as their students do. You can't pretend to teach properly, otherwise, and as for the rest, you have to work harder to keep ahead of the less than honorable relic hunters, so you can find the treasures that the world deserves to see and save them from black market collectors."

"I know," she agreed, touched by his words. "But not everyone sees it that way."

Nigel paused to take a drink, then continued, he knew the two drinks he'd had at the ball and now the beer was loosing his tongue, but didn't care. Sydney couldn't continue to regret being who she was.

"Then sod 'em!" he tossed, emphatically. "If they can't appreciate you for who you are they're not worth your time!" He reached for her hand. "And your time is precious, Syd; because you have so little personal time. It should be spent with someone who…who appreciates you and makes you happy, not some wanker who feels threatened by a strong, successful woman."

Sydney smiled at him and felt a warm shiver wash over her. "Thank you, Nigel." No one understood what it was like to be her, except Nigel. He saw her at her best and her worst. Saw her in victory and in defeat and his support for her never waivered.

"Enough about me, I want to know about you, Nigel. What problems have you had, dating?"

He shrugged and pulled his hand back from hers. "It's probably the same problems everyone has, Syd. Finding the right…mix."

"You don't seem to have any trouble attracting women," she reasoned. "So where does it go wrong?"

"I've told you, attracting them isn't a problem at all, keeping them is."

"Why?"

He shrugged and took another mouthful of beer.

"Well, pretend I'm a woman you'd like to date." She smiled. "We've had one date, what's next?"

"You avoid my calls," he muttered and finished off his beer, then raised his hand for the waitress to bring another.

"Before that." Sydney smiled in sympathy. "There must be something before that, right? You have to have dated someone more than once, Nigel."

Cate was the first to come to mind, if you could call the few times they were together dating. And, yes, if he was honest, he had managed more than one date a few times, but then he'd end up being pulled out of country and would have to cancel whatever plans he had.

Women didn't like to be stood up, but it wasn't as if he did it deliberately. The times he was available for dinner or a film they never seemed interested.

"I don't bloody well know, Syd. It all comes down to timing, I suppose. Like you said, we're both very busy and even when we're not we…are."

"People work, Nigel, they have careers. If a woman, or man, can't understand that then they're not worth bothering over." She requested a refill on her own beer when the waitress brought Nigel's fresh draft. "You said before that they should make an effort to see each other, even if it doesn't always work out as planned."

"Yes, and you accused me of being sexist and calling you a glory hound!"

She smirked, because he was completely right. "I'm sorry about that. It's just…" She paused as the waitress brought her beer. "Could we get some hot wings please?"

"Sure thing, luv," she offered and walked away.

"It's just?" Nigel prodded.

"Nothing, we were talking about you."

"I don't want to talk about me!"

"Maybe that's part of the problem!" she shot back, grinning when he moaned and sank further down in his seat.

"What do you want me to say? That I can't seem to hold a woman's interest past the bedroom? That I have the devil's time talking to one or that I'm simply not interesting enough for them to stay around?"

"You are interesting, so that isn't it. Why do you have trouble talking to women? I thought you were over that?"

"Well, some. I mean, I can hold a conversation, of course and…and in other areas I have no problems, but when it's just the two of us I…well...I think they find me boring, Syd."

"You're not boring!"

"It's just a feeling, and then they always start being…You know…um….forward about their intentions and we end up back at their flat or mine where no one needs to talk at all!" He sighed and took a swallow of beer as their wings arrived. "I do try to make it more, Syd, but they always say they're busy, or if I manage to make a second date, I have to cancel and then they just get angry." He paused again. "I can see why your blokes might get upset, because the ladies I date are the same."

"We can't help that, Nigel. What do they expect us to do, quit and sit at home twiddling our thumbs?"

Nigel shrugged. "I'm just saying, well…You said your chaps either want you there all the time or they're too persistent in what sort of relationship they want with you. I have birds that would say that about me, and I'm honestly not trying to be pushy. I'm only trying to see if there is something to build on, but they never seem to be interested."

Sydney sipped her beer and ate two wings as she considered how similar their relationship issues were, and also how different. Nigel had trouble getting a woman to commit. She had trouble with men going too fast and they both had issues with their work coming first.

"Nigel, I think we've been dating the wrong kind of people."

"Obviously, but what can we do about it?"

"What's the first thing you look for in a woman?"

"I'm not sure….attraction, certainly. I prefer them to be…well not demure, but certainly not brazen."

"And I always look for a pretty boy with strong arms. Charming, sure, but not always the brightest tool in the shed."

"We can't help who we're attracted to, Syd."

"But we should!" Sydney considered all the time she had wasted with her past boyfriends. She'd been so caught up in how they looked, in sexual attraction, she'd never considered someone that was less that an 'Adonis' as Nigel called them. She'd been vain and stupid and inconsiderate. "We're both superficial when it comes to the people we're attracted to when we should give other people, other types a chance!"

"That's lovely in theory, Syd, but not always easy in practice. Physical appearance always has a bearing, even when you pretend it doesn't."

"No, I mean, sure there has to be chemistry, but why haven't I considered dating one of my colleagues, or another professor?" She sat back, thoughtfully. "I've dated other relic hunters, but they're always out for themselves and they've always fit the same profile."

"Perhaps, but I have dated woman that don't necessarily fit my…what did you call it, profile? The result is the same. I have even more trouble talking to the amazons, as you call them, than I do the quiet ones."

"You don't have trouble talking to me."

"That's different."

"Why?" Sydney set a couple of wings on his plate, a silent encouragement to eat and soak up some of the beer he was drinking. "You should be just as relaxed with them as you are with me, Nigel."

"That's not possible, Syd."

"That's silly! Why isn't it possible?"

"Well…you…we…our relationship is unique. I can talk to you because….well because I know you won't judge me or laugh at me."

"What makes you think other women will?"

"Experience," he muttered and reached for a wing, dripping with sauce. "They don't get me, Syd. They just see me as a pretty face and when I tell them what I do I can see they are bored to tears."

"How can they be bored? You travel the world finding ancient relics!"

"Sydney, in reality I am a TA. Your TA, to be precise, and while they sometimes find you very interesting, they are less than enthusiastic about me."

"You do what I do."

"Yes but…" He shook his head and bit into the wing, preferring to fill his mouth so he wouldn't have to talk and muddle up the conversation further.

Sydney was patient and waited for him to finish before gently kicking him under the table; prodding further conversation.

"I don't want to be liked for being pretty and British, no more than I do for my association with you. I'm a relic hunter, yes, that is what I do but it is not who I am, Sydney and women just don't…they're just not interested in quiet, boring Nigel Bailey."

Sydney considered his words and her heart ached for him. She knew what it was like to be plagued by people who only thought you were a hot bod or a pretty face; it equaled the number of people who got excited by her career more than her. It was hard finding anyone that would like her for who she was outside of that.

"I guess it's something we both need to work on," she decided. "I need to be less superficial and…and maybe not so frightened by commitment and you need to be more forceful and secure in who you are."

"Perhaps we can find a relic that will change our minds into the other's body, then we can have the best of both worlds. You can make me seem confident and I…"

"Can teach me humility and patience?" He blushed and she laughed as she bit into a wing.

"I…I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." Sydney took a sip of her beer, she was starting to get a buzz but was still a long way from being drunk. It was nice, opening up like this to him, sharing their thoughts and feelings. "Nige, I've been in a lot of relationships and I can count on one hand the ones that actually mattered; the ones I regret ending."

"Like Tom?"

She nodded. "I loved him, or I thought I did, but we wanted different things." She sighed. "I still wonder what my life would be like if I had accepted his proposal, but I honestly don't know that I'd be happy."

"It's hard to know what the future holds, even looking back at the past. You can't live life wondering what if, you taught me that."

"But what _if_ I'm wrong, Nigel?" she insisted, suddenly. "What if I've been so intent on my career, on my independence that I threw away my only chance at real happiness?"

"Syd, he won't be your only chance."

"But how do you know?" she asked urgently and realized that she was more afraid of the idea that she'd ever admitted to before.

Perhaps it was the beer, or the atmosphere, or just getting it off her chest finally, but her greatest fear made its way to the surface and she'd tossed it out there without even thinking about it.

"What if, because I gave him up, or Alan up or any of the others, now I'm going to be alone for the rest of my life?"

Nigel regarded her for a long, long moment, then rose and slid in beside her, she moved over, automatically to make room. He took her hand and looked deep into her eyes. "First of all, you will never be alone. I'll always be here, Syd, for as long as you need me to be."

She leaned her head against his shoulder, alarmed at the relief that his words gave her. "I know."

"Secondly, if Tom was your only chance, that would mean that Amanda had been mine, and I'm not willing to accept that."

"That's different."

"No, it's not. I loved her. I was sure we were eventually to be married, but I was young and…in my heart I wasn't ready." He lifted his arm to fit around her shoulders. "Several years later, fate showed me that I had made the right choice."

"But you couldn't have known she'd try and use you and your brother to get rich, Nigel."

"No more than you can know if you would have been happy as Tom's wife."

She sighed. "You're right." She allowed herself to caress his leg, just a gentle petting that seemed natural with their current position. "Maybe we're just being foolish. Maybe we're just seeing things that aren't there and creating more issues."

"Maybe we're both just pissed and should head back to the hotel?" he suggested with a grin.

She smiled and nodded, rising with him. "I promised you gin rummy, didn't I?"

"You did indeed," he said as he tossed money on the table. "My head's spinning like a top and I can't promise I won't fall over on the walk back."

She laughed and hailed a cab as they stepped out. "Why walk when we can ride?"

They climbed in and headed the few blocks back to their hotel. Nigel walked her to her room, which was across the hall from his. They had booked separately just for the sake of appearances.

"Coming in?" she asked as she slipped her card key in the door.

"Better not."

She turned and leaned against the door to smile at him. "You sure?" She playfully tugged on his tie and pulled him close to whisper. "It's okay, we're married."

He giggled. "Ssshhh…we're undercover."

"I've got some covers inside we can be under in seconds." Sydney was feeling unbelievably happy after their talk and the ride home, and perhaps the alcohol was affecting her, perhaps she was letting it.

"Sydney!"

She bumped the door open with her backside, pulled him in and kicked the door closed. "We've been sharing a bed for almost five months, now you're gonna make me sleep alone?"

"Syd…" He tried to pull away from her, but she already had his tie and jacket off. "We can't…"

"Can't what? Get naked?" She kissed his cheek as her nimble fingers made quick work of the buttons on his shirt.

"Stop," he laughed and pulled his shirt back together. "Vixen." He watched amused as she laughed, kicked off her shoes and tossed her clutch bag on the bed.

He automatically released her necklace when she turned her back to him and tried not to linger over the olive goodness her exposed neck offered.

"Spoilsport," she teased as she carefully set the necklace and earrings in a small container she brought with her and pulled the pins from her hair, allowing it to fall past her shoulders like sweet waves of dark chocolate. "Still up for rummy?"

"Um...yes, sure." He picked up his suit jacket and draped it over the antique chair by the window.

Sydney really did look radiant tonight, and he had seen every man's eyes on her at the ball, and at the pub. It was a lift in his own confidence that all those men knew she had been there with him, even if they didn't understand it was only a platonic relationship.

"I'm going to change," she announced and pulled down the side zipper if her dress. "Did you want to?"

"No, I'm fine," he replied and watched her smile, grab a change of clothes and head into the washroom. He stared at the closed door for several seconds before remembering to move; perhaps the alcohol was dulling his senses although he didn't feel drunk in any way.

He found the playing cards in her satchel and, as there was no table to play at, settled on the bed. He found a pen and pad of paper, then braced two pillows at his back by the headboard and sat shuffling the cards.

When Sydney emerged, she wore a blue, sleeveless tank top and a pair of white cotton gym shorts. She'd opened her window to let the sights and sounds of London in, and climbed onto the bed to sit cross-legged the bed.

Sydney leaned forward. "You're still too formal," she insisted unfastened the first three buttons of his dress shirt, showing his plain white T- beneath. "Better."

"Thank you, Martha Stewart," he retorted as he dealt the cards. "To five hundred?"

Sydney nodded and accepted the cards, just as his cell phone rang.

He hopped up and retrieved it from his jacket pocket. "Hello? Yes, this is he." He glanced at Sydney, even as his eyes widened. "Yes. Yes, I understand. Thank you for calling."

"Who was it?' Sydney asked as he disconnected the call and stared at the phone.

"Agent Tuttle." He lifted his gaze to hers. "My hearing is set for a week from Monday."

Sydney bounded off the bed and threw her arms around him. "Yay!" She grinned and kissed him quickly and without intent. "There is an end in sight and this mess will soon be behind us!"

Nigel hugged her back, but his heart wasn't in it. He should be elated, relieved, even anxious, but instead all he felt was a profound disappointment. "Well...they may yet deny my Visa, Syd."

"Of course they won't!' She hugged him again then pulled back, surprised by his lack of joviality. "What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy with the news?"

"I am!" he assured quickly. "I...I guess I'm also anxious. What if they do deny my Visa, Syd?"

"And what if they don't?" she countered gently. "We have to think positively, Nigel. That's what this whole thing has been for, right?"

He nodded. He did want it over with, he'd had a difficult time the last five and a half months living with, Sydney and pretending to be married. Well, perhaps difficult was too strong a word, but it certainly hadn't been easy.

"I...I reckon I am just a worrier at heart, Syd."

"Well, don't be." She returned to the bed and folded her legs together again. "Come on and I'll take your mind off it by whipping your ass in rummy."

"Actually, Syd, I'm rather tired. Do you mind if we take a rain check?"

She swallowed her disappointment and nodded. It had been a long day. "Sure, Nigel." She scooped up the cards and set them on the bureau, then began to pull back the sheets. "Mind if we leave the window open for..." She glanced up and saw him gathering his jacket and tie. "I thought you were tired?"

"I am." He opened the door. "My room's across the hall, remember?"

Sydney slowly sat down on her bed, the bed she just realized she'd be sleeping in alone. "Right. Forgot." She forced a smile. "Good night, Nigel."

"Night, Syd."

He stepped into the hall and closed the door behind him,

Sydney stared at the door for several seconds, trying to figure out what happened. They'd been sleeping side by side for almost three months, and now he wanted to sleep in a separate room? Sure they had booked individual rooms, but that had been for the sake of appearances.

She switched of the lights and crawled into bed, frowning. Was it because of the call from Tuttle? Did the idea of having his hearing so close, and a possible answer to their troubles cause him to rethink their sleeping arrangement?

She lay on her back and stared at the ceiling, puzzled. She thought he would be excited but he hadn't been. She was sure he would be eager to move back to his flat and get his own life back, yet he seemed almost...sad when he rang off from Tuttle.

She glanced to the right side of the bed, where she had gotten used to seeing him, then sighed as she settled in and closed her eyes. She'd figure it out in the morning.

Nigel entered his hotel room and stared at the lonely double bed before him as he closed the door and leaned against it. The room felt...empty. With a sigh, he tossed his jacket over a chair and slowly undressed in the dim moonlight through his window. He reached into his bag for a pair of pajama bottoms, then realized he didn't have to wear them because Sydney was across the hall.

He threw them and his socks to the floor, something he never did and opened his window. He crawled into bed; turning onto his side to face the window then got up and closed the window. He'd always preferred a close window at night, it was Sydney who liked it open.

Back in bed he again turned on his side, but his mind was in overdrive. Why hadn't he been more excited by the news? He wanted his privacy back; he wanted this farce over with so he and Sydney could go back to being who they really were again. He wanted Sydney to have her life back and more than anything, despite the feelings of guilt it caused in him, he wanted to be single again so he could bloody well get a shag!

He hadn't had sex in well almost a year before he and Sydney began their deception, and her need to ' feel comfortable' around him had been a bit of a nightmare, really. Living with her had been a like riding a rollercoaster, his hormones simply hadn't know what to do with themselves most of the time, and his body seemed constantly at war with his common decency. He cared for her deeply and would always be grateful for her helping him out of this rotten predicament, but really! Too much of a good thing and all of that.

Yes, it would be better once all of this was over. No more picking up her clothes or trying to get cat fur off of everything he owned. No more half naked soaks in the hot tub or barging in while he was in the shower. No more warm, succulent lips against his as he inhaled the intoxicating scent of her perfume and... His heart hiccupped and pulled him back from the brink. No, definitely no more of that!

He lay there for several minutes before rising to open the window again, the crawled in on Sydney's side of the bed, wound himself around a pillow and tried to sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

DISCLAIMER: RH not mine, Please do not copy or reproduce. Thanks for the reviews. Keep them coming!

**CHAPTER 21**

Sydney ran through the park. It was a beautiful morning, the sun was just coming up and she was sweating. She arrived back at her building, hopped into the elevator and arrived at her loft seconds later.

She climbed the stairs to her bedroom and headed into her bathroom, where the sound of the shower was running. "Hey, did you go back to sleep?"

"I did until that monster of a cat sat on my head and cut off my air supply," he called over the sound of the shower.

Sydney laughed as she stripped off her clothes. "You didn't feed her again did you?"

"There wasn't any food in her bowl and she was crying!"

She pulled out an extra towel for herself. "She probably wolfed it down and went back to you for more."

"That little manipulator. She acted like she was starving..."

Sydney moved towards the shower doors. "I'm all sweaty, can I come in?"

He dropped his bottle of soap.

"W...what?"

"I need to take a shower."

"I...c...can't you wait or...or use..." He swiftly turned to face the wall as the door opened and she stepped inside. "Sydney!"

"Relax, we're married, remember?"

"That...it isn't..." He squeezed his eyes shut and remained facing the wall, his hands over his groin. "This isn't appropriate."

"Can you hand me the shampoo, please?" When he didn't respond she reached past him to the shelf.

Nigel stiffened, literally, at the direct contact of her flesh to his. There wasn't enough room in the shower for both, not really, and to get past her to get out he'd have to turn around, which he couldn't do. "I can't believe you're doing this."

"Relax, it isn't like we haven't seen each other naked before."

"Excuse me!"

"Remember the spa?"

"You...you said you didn't look!"

"Anyway..." She reached past him to set the shampoo back on the shelf and proceeded to lather her hair. "Relax, it's just our bodies. The Romans had public baths and urinals back in the day."

"I am not a bloody Roman!"

"I need the water. Nigel, can you move?"

"God! Why...why do you do these things to me?" He stiffened again as she patted his back side.

"'Cause it's fun."

He deliberately pushed back against her and reached for the door. "One of these days it will backfire on you."

She smiled as he stepped out of the shower and slammed the door closed. "Don't be such a baby."

Nigel quickly changed into a pair of slacks and was pulling on a shirt as she walked up and wrapped her arms around him from behind, wearing only a towel. "Sorry."

"You should be."

"I'm horny."

"That is _not_ my problem."

She turned him around and looked into his eyes. "Nigel, don't you ever think about it?"

"Sex?"

"Sex and us."

He shook his head. "No."

"Never?"

"Never."

"You're such a liar."

He shrugged.

"It's just sex, it doesn't have to mean anything."

"It would mean something, Syd. We both are far too close to each other for it not to."

"But I'm horny!"

"I'm sure you can take care of yourself."

"It's no fun that way." She kissed him and he returned her kiss, hesitantly, then broke away. "We shouldn't Syd..."

"Yes we should. We're both lonely and horny." She kissed him again. "We're married, why can't we take advantage of it?"

Nigel shook his head and tried to move away, but she pushed him onto the bed and pulled off her towel, giving him a full view of her naked body. "Sydney…" he whispered as she crawled over him.

"It's just our bodies, Nigel."

"It's y…your body and…and my body…t…together."

"Mmmm." She nuzzled his neck. "Doesn't that sound nice?"

"I…Syd, I…" Then she kissed him and he was lost.

His hands moved of their own volition against skin that was softer than the finest silk. They buried themselves in her hair and pulled her closer, wanting, needing…

Nigel bolted awake, projecting poor Maftet about three feet in the air, from where she had been curled up on his chest. The cat leapt onto Sydney's head, causing her to cry out in protest, and finally dropped to the floor to escape.

"S…sorry, girl." He dropped back down, his heart threatened to break through his chest.

"Are you okay?" Sydney asked, rubbing the pounce marks off her head as she turned on her side to check on him.

"Yeah, yes…just…" He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down, tried to remember where he was, but when he did it seemed to make matters worse. "Just a…a dream."

She leaned over him, her long chestnut hair falling forward to hide half of her face. "Want to talk about it?"

He shook his head and immediately turned onto his side to hide his aroused state. "I'm fine." He felt her hand on his shoulder and closed his eyes. "I'm fine, Syd." The bed moved as she snuggled down, wrapped her arm around him and whispered in his ear.

"I'll protect you."

He needed her protection, now more than ever, to keep himself from remembering the dream, from thinking about things he had no business thinking about. "I know."

He had almost drifted off again when Sydney's alarm went off and they both groaned. "Really?" He rose and pulled his watch off the night table, sighed and dropped face down on his pillow. "Do you want to shower first?"

"Unless you want to take one together," Sydney replied as she tossed back the covers and rose.

Nigel's head bolted up and he looked at her. "I'm not Roman!"

"Excuse me?"

He flushed to his toes and hid his face in the pillow as he realized his mistake. Her comment was too much like his dream. "N…nothing."

Sydney frowned, walked over and settled beside him. "I was kidding, Nigel."

"Right. Yes, yes of course." Please just go take your shower and leave me in peace, he pleaded. "I…I knew that."

"What exactly was your dream about?" she asked suddenly curious.

"Nothing!"

She watched him turn as pink as her comforter and grinned. Unable to resist she leaned down and whispered in his ear. "Nigel?"

"Hmmm?"

"It's okay to think about it."

"What?"

"Sex."

"I…I…yes…I…I mean…A…all men think about…about t…that."

"I mean sex between us."

"No."

"No?"

"I mean no it…I…it isn't…we…we shouldn't…" He buried his head again, mortified.

"Nigel?"

Oh God! Why couldn't she just go take her shower? "What?" he moaned.

"I have those dreams too."

He could feel his body burn, even as he turned his head to look up at her. "You…you do?"

"Sure. It's natural. We spend a lot of time together so of course our subconscious is going to play that card eventually.

"And…it doesn't mean anything?" he whispered, desperate to believe that was true.

She kissed his cheek and ruffled his hair. "Nope."

He lay there, at war with his feelings, as she rose and stepped into her closet to select clothes for the day. Finally, as she headed for the washroom, he said. "What do you dream…when…when you dream about…me?" He couldn't look at her when he asked but he could practically feel her smile.

"If I told you, you'd be worse off than you are now," she teased.

His eyes widened. "I…I don't think that's possible at the moment."

She walked over, crouched down and whispered in his ear. Nigel's eyes widened even more as she recounted one of her steamier dreams.

"Oy, stop, stop!" He pulled the pillow over his head, aghast and amused; even while she caused him to grow aroused again. "You…you're making that up. That…that's not even physically p…possible!" Or was it? He wouldn't ever know how flexible Sydney might truly be.

She laughed, hugged him despite his protests, and straightened. "Maybe."

"You're a horrid, horrid woman, Sydney Fox."

"Mmmm…" She headed for the washroom again. "Sure you don't want to join me in the shower?"

He turned, sat up and faced her, but pulled his knees up to save face. "We are not having sex, Sydney."

She grinned and leaned against the door frame. "Did I say we were?"

"You're thinking it. I can see it in those lovely, devilish eyes of yours."

"And if we did…would I have to seduce you?" she teased, her hand on her hip. "Bring you over to the dark side via some female persuasion?"

"You wouldn't need much," he decided and tossed a throw pillow at her. "Go take your shower, and leave me to suffer in peace!"

She laughed, stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.

Nigel heard the shower start and had a brief moment, actually considered joining her. He suppressed it and rose then quickly made the bed, knowing Sydney preferred it made, closed the terrace door and secured it, then headed down stairs.

He fed Maftet and gave her some treats, as an apology for startling her, then put the coffee on. Taking down two mugs, he set them on the counter, then reached into the fridge for a grapefruit. He halved it, set it in a bowl and dribbled sugar over it, then pulled down another bowl and poured some cereal into it.

Sydney found him leaning against the counter, bare feet and chest, balancing his cereal bowl in one hand as he ate with the other. She smiled to see her grapefruit and coffee waiting for her at the breakfast bar. The morning paper, which was always dropped outside her door, was waiting beside her food.

He lifted his gaze, from his cereal and mirrored her smile. "Is there any hot water left?" he teased and was startled when she walked over and kissed him on the lips. "W…what was that for?"

She picked up her coffee. "For being you," she replied and settled on a stool to open the paper. "I left you plenty of hot water." She couldn't resist adding with a flutter of her eyelashes. "Unless you need it cold?"

He finished off his cereal and set his bowl in the sink. "How long are you going to torture me about that?" he demanded, but his lips twitched.

"Oh, I don't know, until I find something else to torture you about."

"Wonderful." He jogged up the stairs with Maftet close behind.

Sydney grinned and absently ate her breakfast as she combed through the paper. Her smile widened when she heard Nigel arguing with Maftet about accompanying him to the shower.

She was glad he was back to normal, he'd seemed a little distant on their trip back from London, but she understood that he had a lot on his mind and so hadn't pushed him. She'd wondered if he would return to sleeping on the sofa once they were back home, since his hearing would be soon, but he hadn't. Nothing had changed and she was grateful for it.

She'd always thought she knew Nigel better than anyone else, but she had learned so much more since they had been living together; little things that she had never noticed, or hadn't bothered to notice before.

Nigel was thoughtful and kind, but she always knew that. He was also sweet and generous and, perhaps without meaning to be, ridiculously romantic. She didn't know how he treated the women he dated, but the way he treated her was far better than any of the men she had dated, and they weren't even a real couple!

She was always delighted when he'd cook them a meal, or offer to get her a drink or a sandwich at work. He stepped aside and allowed her to precede him through doors, and bought flowers once a week when they stopped at the market; citing they would look pretty on her table. Last month he purchased a bottle of her favorite perfume because he had found it at a street vendor for a much lower price than she usually paid.

He was considerate in so many ways, and never did anything because he expected something from her, he had no ulterior motives. That was what made him different from the other men she knew. He was attentive and chivalrous because he was raise to be, not because he thought it would please the ladies, and he had a big beautiful heart; that unfortunately was easily bruised.

Nigel was a real man. Sure, he got flustered easily, but he knew how to treat a woman and he didn't get worked up over the little things, like most men did. He accepted her completely, knew her likes and dislikes, even how she liked to have her breakfast and her bed made.

He preferred Coco Puffs in the morning, and while he always poured them both a coffee, he only ever drank half of his before they left for work. He preferred tea at night and had an entire cupboard of loose tea that he stocked up on when he was in England. Sydney would make a pot for them both, and then they would watch a program on TV, or go over test papers, or she would go for a workout in her home gym while Nigel quietly read. It was comfortable and relaxed and neither felt the need to entertain the other.

Then they were off to bed, Sydney would brush out her hair while Nigel turned back the sheets on the bed and opened the terrace doors a crack for air to get inside. She'd settle on her side of the bed and lather lotion on her arms and legs as Nigel did sit ups on the floor; he was subconscious about his belly weight and had gotten into the habit of doing a few sit ups every night.

When Nigel pulled off his watch and set it on the night stand it was time to sleep for it was always the last thing he did before climbing in bed and the first thing he put on in the morning; unless he was getting a shower. Sydney would turn off the lamp on her side and they'd both slide into position. Maftet would take turns sleeping next to one of them, or sometimes would drop down in between them both.

She glanced at the magnetic list that Nigel had placed on her fridge, to keep track of groceries to buy. She'd been used to ordering in, or picking up fresh or microwave food to cook, because she never had anything in her cupboards before Nigel moved in and because she never thought about meals until she had to.

She still liked to stop at the market on occasion and get fresh supplies for a meal, but now Nigel was with her and they would decide together. It made all the difference shopping or cooking for two and she found herself often thinking about what meal to have while she was still at work; wondering what Nigel would like and if they might pick up a bottle of wine with it.

He anticipated her needs and was always ready to hop on a plane and follow her across the world; without complaint. He was so lovely and sweet; she couldn't understand why any woman wouldn't want to be with him. If he was her boyfriend she certainly wouldn't be ignoring his calls or complaining he wanted to spend time with her.

She frowned suddenly, wondering why she was thinking so hard about Nigel. And how could she even consider having him as a boyfriend? He was her best friend and her partner! A romantic relationship would ruin everything, which she had learned the hard way with her last assistant. A warning bell sounded in her head and she pushed the remainder of her thoughts away.

She quickly finished up her coffee and breakfast and collected her briefcase, satchel, keys and cell phone as Nigel walked downstairs, dressed in grey slacks and a blue short sleeve pull over. His wet hair had been slicked back away from his face, but Sydney knew it would be fly away cute the moment it dried, and his face smooth shaven.

She watched him fasten his watch onto his wrist, and was again drawn back to her earlier thoughts. She teased him about being pretty but God, he really was. He was beautiful, with that smooth, pale skin, sparkling blue-green eyes that always had that little hint of mischief and a delectable, full mouth perfect for…

"Syd?"

"Huh?"

"Do I have something on my face?"

"What? Uh…no. No." She felt heat seer her cheeks and turned to front door; appalled to have been caught watching him too closely. "Ready?"

"Always." He picked up his laptop bag as she pulled open the door. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Fine." She closed and locked her door, then took the few steps to the elevator directly across the small hall.

Nigel pressed the Ground button and looked at Sydney, curious. "Is anything wrong?"

"No!" she snapped and then closed her eyes to regain control. "Sorry. I…I didn't sleep well." It was a lie and she never liked lying to him, so she turned just as the elevator delivered them at the bottom floor. "Do you…Do you want to go somewhere for dinner tonight?"

"Sure," he agreed as they exited the elevator and headed outside to Sydney's jeep. "Where would you like to go?"

"Donatello's?"

His eyebrows rose slightly at the name of the expensive and exclusive restaurant. "Are we celebrating something?" he asked as he slid into the passenger side. "Have I forgotten an important date?"

"No." Sydney sat for a moment and stared out her windshield.

What the hell made her name that particular restaurant? Donatello's was a place where lovers met, proposed, or shared secret rendezvous. It was the crème de le crème of places to eat in the New England area and was overflowing with romance and ambiance.

"We can go somewhere else, if you like, I…I just thought it would be nice."

"I'd love to go," he admitted, surprised by her sudden insecurity, but knowing her well enough not to mention it. "I hear the food is fabulous, and only costs a house payment or two."

She laughed in both amusement and relief for his willingness not to press her. Damn, he knew her so well! "I think we deserve a treat," she decided, feeling more relaxed as she started the engine. "Your hearing is next week, so it will be a pre-celebration."

"Do you think we can get in? They're usually booked months in advance, aren't they?"

Sydney smirked. "I know someone who might be able to boost us to the top of the list."

"Not someone you'll have to promise sexual favors to, I hope?" he teased.

"No, but you might have to."

"Sorry?" he squeaked and Sydney laughed.


	22. Chapter 22

**DISCLAIMER**: PLEASE READ CHAPTER 21 BEFORE YOU READ THIS ONE- some reason the notifications did not work when I uploaded, but there are TWO new chapters.

Nigel and Sydney are not mine, I wish theY were, because they are awesome, but it is not to be. So instead, I write about them and try to satisfy my need for their romance. This story started out as a one chapter what if, it's become much more, thanks to those reviewing it. I hope you like where it takes you. Please enjoy.

CHAPTER 22

Nigel slid Sydney's key into her loft door and pulled it aside, waiting for her to enter and trying to get himself under control. They'd had a very slow day at work, with the students out there just wasn't much to do. They'd finished Sydney's fall lesson plan by the noon and no one had called to offer them a hunt or ask their advice on a relic. No one, not one call, all day. He'd actually asked Karen to check if the phones were working.

Then they had come back to Sydney's to change for dinner, he into an appropriate suit and her in an exquisitely tight black mini dress with a plunging neckline. He didn't know what had possessed her to wear that, but topped with red lipstick and matching pumps he'd been unable to take his eyes off of her for most of the evening; which made him feel guilty and lecherous.

Their meal had been amazing and they'd had no trouble getting in, thanks to Sydney's friend, but the atmosphere had been a little too passionate for them. The music was melodic, deep and soulful. The lights were dim and offered candlelight at every table.

There seemed to be lovers at everywhere, holding hands, kissing, looking dreamily into each other's eyes, and then there was Sydney and Nigel, with enough space between them as the table would allow, not touching, eyes barely meeting other than to chat; and even that had been minimal.

Sydney had made him completely tongue tied and he hated it, hated that for the first time he couldn't see past her beauty to the woman that was his friend. He hadn't been able to relax through the entire meal and Sydney was much the same, or seemed to be.

Sydney dropped her clutch bag in a nearby chair and kicked off her shoes, silently cursing herself for the decision to eat at Donatello's. Every time Nigel met her eyes she saw lust, arousal, awareness and an undercurrent of discomfort because of who they were. She had no idea what he might have seen in her eyes; probably the same things.

She didn't know what had possessed her to wear this damn dress! She should have known that it wouldn't be fair to Nigel, to either of them, but she'd gotten caught up in the hype of going to such a fancy restaurant.

Her poor Englishman had downed four glasses of wine at dinner, to her two, and she knew in her heart it was because of her, because he'd needed liquid courage to get through the meal in a polite and completely platonic fashion.

She'd wondered if he might just take her there on the table, his longing was intense and powerful, even when he tried to hide it and in her heart, she knew she would have accepted that fate, willingly, for her desire felt just as strong for him.

They apparently hadn't hidden their feelings very well, for the manager brought them a free bottle of champagne, complimenting on their obvious love for each other.

That was when they'd had to leave, unable to take the intense chemistry that hung between them or the lover's atmosphere that surrounded them.

Sydney knew she should just go upstairs and get changed and yet, she found her feet glued to the floor. If she went upstairs, would he follow her? Would he sleep in her bed tonight? God, she wanted him to, and not just to sleep.

Nigel was having difficulty breathing, he'd never been this aroused in his life and fighting it was actually painful. They should change. Sydney needed to get out of that dress so he wouldn't…He hissed at the vision of her in strips of lace and satin appeared before him and he leaned against the wall.

She turned at the sound and saw that he was suffering. "Nigel," she began and then fell silent. They were both adults and they both knew what was happening. It was so ironic, a husband and wife who fought against their own attraction; who couldn't kiss and make up. "I….I'll go change."

He could only nod and watched her hurry up the stairs.

Sydney continued to curse herself as she pulled off her earrings and tried to reach the zipper in the back of her dress. Damn it! Damn it! Why did she insist on getting dresses that fastened in the back? She knew why, because lately Nigel had been around to help her get out of them!

She searched angrily through her vanity for a clip that she sometimes used to reach them herself, but as she pulled the clip out and straightened she felt a pair of warm hands on her shoulders.

She closed her eyes, wet her lips and felt her body hitch in unexpected passion as Nigel pulled down the zipper of her dress in an exquisitely measured stroke.

"Nigel…" She sighed and couldn't help leaning back against him. "Nigel, we…I…" She was both startled and relieved to feel his lips lightly touch the base of her neck.

"I'm sorry, Syd," he whispered against her ear, wanting more than anything to take the delectable lobe into his mouth and taste her there.

"W…why?" she asked and wished she didn't sound so out of breath. She bit her lip when his hands moved down over her arms, pulling them in to her waist with his arms, trapping her close against him

"I can't stop thinking about it." He inhaled the scent of her perfume, and closed his eyes against the incredible softness of her hair. "You're so beautiful, so…I know it's wrong but I…God, I want you so much right now."

His words were ambrosia, knowing how much it cost him to admit to his desire. She turned in his arms, for she felt the same. "Likewise," she whispered.

He blinked. He hadn't honestly expected her to concede. "R…really?"

She nodded. "Real…" Before she could finish her reply his mouth was on hers, hot, moist and greedy.

She wound her arms around his neck and took her fill of what he was offering, feeling her need for him spike higher when he moaned and reluctantly pulled away.

"We….we shouldn't…" He struggled between their friendship and his desire. Struggled to find sense when she had ripped the senses from him. "God, you smell…feel so…incredible."

Sydney shivered at his words, loved that he was brave enough to say them. "It won't change anything," she promised. "It's just sex, right?"

His chest was heaving at the idea, and he fought to find a rational thought. Sex between them could ruin everything! "I….Sydney, I…we've been drinking…"

"Not that much."

He knew she was right. He wasn't drunk on wine, he was drunk on her. "I…I w…want to, but I don't want it…us to...to change."

"Neither do I, Nigel, but I can't stop thinking about it; about you."

It alarmed and flattered him that she had been having such thoughts about him, especially since he had been having similar thoughts about her. "Don't you think…maybe it's…" He almost sobbed when she kissed him again.

They moved as one, towards the bed and as they bumped against it Sydney broke their kiss. "I know it's wrong. I know we're friends, but I want this, Nigel. I want you."

"A…as a friend?" he couldn't help asking.

"I don't know. As…something."

Still, his fear was pressing on him, warring with his passion. He looked at the bed they stood beside, wet his lips and looked at her as images of what was to come flooded his mind. "If…if we do this, it won't change anything."

"No."

He gently caught her hands in his. "Then why are you trembling?"

"Because it's you," she whispered. "Nigel, you're my best friend."

"And you're mine."

"It won't be _just_ sex, will it?"

"I don't think it can be." Not between them. They did nothing by halves, their relationship has always been strong, resilient and beyond convention. "It doesn't mean that it will be too much, either."

"We'll never know until we try right?"

Nigel smirked and felt some of his nervousness dispel. "It would be a lot…nicer I think than some of the things you've talked me into trying over the years."

"So, you're sure about this, then?"

"Not in the least."

"Do you want to…to stop?"

"Not in the least."

Sydney smiled, as he knew she would. "At least you're honest."

"Syd, we…we don't have to do this. We can pretend this conversation was a dream…and…"

"You don't want to?"

"I didn't say that at all."

"I want to, Nigel. God help us, but I really, really want to."

He groaned again, in obvious agony. "Dear God."

She pulled off his jacket and tie, tossed them aside and slowly unbuttoned his dress shirt. She heard his breath hitch at her touch as she carefully slid the shirt off his shoulders and smiled at his plain white T-shirt. With only the briefest hesitation, she slid her hands beneath the shirt and pulled it over his head.

"Sydney…"

She spread her hands over the smooth, soft skin of his chest and shivered at the way he said her name, deep, soft and incredibly sexy. She'd never heard her name said that way before, not by him.

"You have such a great body, Nigel."

"Likewise," he murmured, somewhat amazed at the sight of Sydney caressing him in such a way. His fingers traced the thin straps of her dress, but he couldn't seem to force himself to move it from her shoulders. It felt…intrusive.

"It's okay," she murmured and guided his hands with her own, noticing that he was also trembling as together they slid both straps down over her arms.

Nigel wet his lips and hesitantly traced the top trim of her bodice, both afraid and eager for what he would find underneath. "I'm bloody terrified," he admitted softly.

"Me too."

Her admission gave him courage and with a gentle tug her dress slithered from her body, followed by Nigel's caressing hands just to the waist, and then allowed to drop in a pool at her feet.

He swallowed, hard. God! What should he do? His eyes lingered over the lace of her bra and deliberate, teasing V of her thong, reveled in the fact that he didn't have to look away, that she wanted him to look at her.

He lifted his eyes to hers, saw the passion, the need sparkling there. "Have mercy," he murmured as he cupped her neck, pulled her lips to meet his and gently laid her back upon the bed.

He wanted it to be right, to be perfect, for between them it couldn't be anything else. He wouldn't settle for anything else. They might never do this again, and he wanted it to count, without understanding why.

They kissed until they were breathless, and then Sydney was reaching for the belt of his trousers. "Off!" she demanded urgently, already finding it hard to breathe.

"Wait," he requested as he nuzzled her neck. "In a minute, I just…I have to…" Taste. She tasted so remarkably sweet and he couldn't get enough of her skin.

She moaned and cupped him through the material. "I can't wait!"

He lifted up enough to look down at her and wondered how someone could be this beautiful, this exquisite? "Right then." Let's do this, he thought and was lost in a wave of sensation.

Forty five minutes later, they lay on their backs on the bed, gasping for breath.

"My…God!" Nigel wheezed and hoped his heart didn't to break from his ribcage.

"Wah…." was Sydney's response. Her head was reeling; her body was a hurricane of slowly ebbing sensations. Never, never had she ever felt that much; needed that much or received all that she needed. "Why…" She cleared her throat and wondered why her tongue felt swollen. Why hadn't they ever done this before?

Nigel was sure he was going to run out of breath before he could catch it and could only lie next to her, panting and trying to regain control over his body again. That had been the most incredible sex he had ever experienced, and it had been with Sydney! He wasn't sure what that meant, but he was too blown away to think about it now.

"So…" Sydney gathered her breath and rolled over to flop against him. "What…what do you…want…to do…now?"

"Breathe," he gasped. He couldn't ever remember feeling this excited in his life, not with other women, not even jumping from an airplane had created the intense surge of adrenalin that overcame him.

Sydney was too spent to laugh, instead, she pulled/pushed herself closer to him, put her lips against his, and made a show of blowing loudly into his mouth.

"Stop!" He giggled and pushed her away. "That…that's what started it all!"

She grinned and laid her head on his chest. "Mmmm…great finish though."

He could only nod and, found himself suddenly shy and managed to rise just enough to pull a sheet over them. "Syd…" He began, wondering what he should say, how they could handle this turn of events. "Sydney, we…I…"

She put her fingers to his lips. "Talk later," she sighed and snuggled against him; she was suddenly exhausted. "Sleep now."

Nigel didn't know if he could sleep. His mind was racing with the consequences of what they had allowed to happen. He could feel, rather than hear Sydney's breathing grow deeper as she drifted off and decided not to disturb her.

He couldn't believe he was lying in his bed with Sydney; a very naked and sated Sydney Fox; curled up against him. The odds of such a thing happening to them were…well astronomical when you considered their relationship previously.

He never should have agreed to the marriage. Spending all that time together had evidently been their downfall. But, in his heart, he knew that they would both be absolutely miserable if he had been deported and could no longer work together.

When he had first met Sydney, he toyed with the idea of a romantic relationship with her. Well, after all, who wouldn't? She was beautiful, strong and intelligent. Who didn't fall in love with her, at least a little, once they'd met her? But by year three, he'd come to accept her as a friend, as she accepted him, and he knew that there could never be anything else between them. At least, that is what he assumed, given the type of men she was attracted to, and the fact that she was his employer.

Now…well now he didn't know anything. Everything had been turned upside down. He didn't love Sydney, not in the way that led to a real marriage and real love-making. He was sure too, that she did not feel more than friendship for him either. So why had they crossed this line?

Sex to Sydney was fairly casual, or seemed to be, so perhaps she would simply look upon this as a casual affair. He didn't know if he could do that. He didn't know if he wanted to do that and that frightened him more than anything else they had been through.

The idea of being able to lie with her like this on a regular basis was extremely attractive, but while Sydney didn't mind casual affairs, her heart was easily wounded and he did not want to be the one to cause her pain if she, or he, started looking for something more.

It was a house of cards, and it would only take one wrong play for everything to come tumbling down. He couldn't let that happen. He had to stop it in its tracks, but how?

Sydney stirred and her fingers ideally caressed his smooth chest. "You're heavy thinking is keeping me awake," she moaned.

"You can't possibly hear me thinking."

"You click your tongue when you're thinking too much." She sighed and let her hand drift lower across his stomach. "We'll deal with it later, Nigel."

He hadn't been aware he was clicking anything, much less his tongue. "Yes well….you…you constantly slide your tongue over your lips when you're figuring something out. It's very distracting."

She lifted up on one elbow and smiled down at him. "Do you have something else you'd like me to slide my tongue over?"

He flushed and pulled away. "Absolutely not." He sat up and reached for his briefs, which had ended up on the floor at some point.

Sydney slid against his back and wrapped her arms around him. "Where are you going?"

"I'm getting dressed."

She scowled. "Why?" She pulled him back onto her lap, giving him a delightful view of her breasts, hovering just above his face. "That was only the first round."

"Syd…we can't…"

She lifted the sheet that still partially covered him and smiled. "Oh…I think we can."

"Sydney!" He snatched the sheet back over him and tried to sit up.

"Didn't you enjoy it?" she asked sitting on her legs and gazing at him, wounded.

How could he turn away from her, when she looked so vulnerable? "I…I just…" He didn't know how to put what he was feeling into words, not without hurting her. Instead, he turned and gently pushed her back onto the mattress. "Round two it is then."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck as his mouth descended to hers.

A short time later, after they had started to catch their breath again, Sydney's hand lazily found its way down his chest and over his groin. "Round three?"

"Not even close," he refused, liking the feel of her touch, but not surprised when his body refused to respond. "You've killed him."

She laughed, tossed her leg over and straddled his hips, "We'll see."

"I can't!" he protested with a surprised smile. "You're insatiable…" His hands moved to her hips and he closed his eyes as she ground herself against him. "God….that f…feels good." His body surprised him and responded to the moist wet heat of her, and within seconds he was hard; but instead of sliding him inside her, she slid down over his body and engulfed him with her mouth. "Ahhh…S…Sydney."

"I think your strength is returning."

Nigel wet his suddenly dry lips. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, Sydney, his best friend and partner, treating him like he was her favorite desert.

After awhile, she climbed up and claimed her prize,

"S…Syd…"

"Ssssh….I'm trying to concentrate."

He felt his body tremble with laughter. "How's that g…going for you?" He bit his lip and arched against her, okay so maybe she hadn't completely killed him.

"Not…good." Sydney moaned

"F…feels pretty g...good to…to me."

Sydney smiled and then cried out in release; thrilled that Nigel was right behind her

She dropped down, half atop him. "Well…that was fun."

Nigel felt like he might cry. He couldn't believe how good it was between them. It shouldn't be this good between them. "I…I'll respond…later."

"Hmmm." Sydney pulled the sheets over them again, snuggled into Nigel and drifted off to sleep, content as a kitten with a big bowl of cream.


	23. Chapter 23

_**DISCLAIMER**_: So_, it seems that you all enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you also read chapter 21, which is the morning of Chapter 22. They were uploaded together but for some reason the notifications only went out on 22._

_Anyhoo, Sydney and Nigel are not mine, yada yada yada, and since I was instructed NOT to talk to Celeste until I got another chapter up,(I think because she was feeling a little desperate after the last one) I hope this means we can chat again. On we go to…the morning after…Please Review!_

**CHAPTER 23**

"If you're looking for trouble, you came to the right place..."

Nigel laughed at the soulful sound of Elvis Presley filled the loft. Sydney's choice of music was as unpredictable as she was and he braced himself on one elbow when she returned upstairs and twirled her robe tie teasingly.

"I never look for trouble, but I never ran," she sang huskily in tune with the song and did a slow, sensuous dance towards him. "And I don't take no orders..." She pounced on the bed and playfully pinned him to the mattress. "From no kind of man!"

"That's for sure!" he giggled as she snuggled down next to him, her atop the sheets and he beneath it.

"You like Elvis, right?"

"He is the King."

"Hmmm." She sighed and stared out her windows as her head rested on his bare chest. The sun wasn't up yet, but it would be soon they would have to get ready for work, but not yet. At that moment she was content to lie next to her best friend in the afterglow of what had probably been the best sex she had ever experienced.

They had both slept for several hours, then woke together when the need took them once more. They had awakened Maftet who insisted on being fed, so once finished with their activities, Sydney had gone downstairs to feed the cat and on her way up put on some music; knowing it would make Nigel laugh.

Nigel played with Sydney's hair, a smile still on his lips, even as he worried about what would happen next. Should they talk about it? Should they pretend...No. They couldn't ignore this. A secret look here and there, a kiss, possibly, but not this.

Sydney seemed in good spirits, which meant she wasn't feeling weird about what happened between them, but it didn't really tell him where they went from here. He wasn't sure how he felt. Sated, absolutely, a little in awe that it had even happened not only once, but four times, and most definitely he felt...happy? Content? Euphoric? One of them anyway, he couldn't say which, and that too had to be a good sign.

Still, they needed to talk about it and while he didn't want to spoil their good mood, it had to be done. "Sydney..."

"Sssshhh."

"Syd…"

"Don't you dare make this weird, Nigel!"

"But…"

"Don't!" She sat up and wagged her finger at him. "We're two friends that just had sex, that's all."

"Is that what that was?"

"Yes, why what would you call it?" Please don't say making love, she pleaded silently, because they weren't in love and that _would_ make things weird.

"Out of this world. An out of body experience. A miracle of biblical proportions…"

"Nigel!"

"When can we do it again?"

She grinned at his eager puppy dog eyes. "Four times in one evening isn't enough for you?"

"It's morning now."

"It's still been less than twenty four hours!"

"So…not now?"

"Not right now, no."

"You didn't enjoy it?"

"You're kidding right?" She lay back against his chest. "It was fantastic, Nigel. You were amazing."

"Well then," he sighed and lifted his arms over his head, deliciously pleased with himself. "I suppose I can try and hold out another year, if I absolutely have to."

"Well, you probably won't have to wait that long…" She squealed when he rolled over atop her, despite having the sheets between them. "Nigel! I said not now!"

"Awww…" He reluctantly returned to his position and she hers. "Tease."

"Nympho."

He chuckled. "Seriously, Syd. We should talk…"

"We are talking."

"You know what I mean!"

"Can't you just go back to sleep?"

"No. Now...come on. We have to clear the air."

"No, we don't."

"Yes, we do."

She moaned in aggravation and sat up. "Why? We're fine! We didn't spontaneously combust or interrupt the space time continuum. Why do we have to talk? So you can make it weird, that's why, well I won't let you make it weird, Nigel." She crossed her arms and ankles and leaned against the headboard on her side of the bed. "What we did lots of people do, lots of friends too, and there's no reason to freak out about it. We're even married for God's sake, so it's not like..." Her words were cut off as she received a pillow to the face. "Hey!"

"Will you shut up a minute and let me get in word in?" he demanded amused.

"How dare you!" She slapped him back with the pillow. She was not expecting him to counter her move with another pillow. They whacked at each other for several minutes, laughing and giggling until their physical excursions led to more amorous endeavors.

She moaned and arched against his mouth as he suckled her breast exposed breast, while his hand slid down between her legs.

"How about now?" he whispered and shivered in delight when she gripped his hair, hard in answer.

"N...no fair….ooohhh…"

He slid his fingers inside of her. "Do you want me to stop then?"

"Do you want to die?" she caught his face between her hands and captured his mouth, making them both dizzy with passion.

"God, you're so beautiful, Sydney."

There it was, that sweet, unending sincerity. Sydney had lovers say such things to her before, but it never meant as much as hearing it from Nigel. She sighed and gave herself over to his touch, his voice, and his tenderness.

Later, as Sydney lay with him under the sheets, deliciously satisfied, again, her robe discard, her hair wild and untamed, she started to laugh. "I can't believe you hit me with a pillow!" she accused grinning. "I haven't had a pillow fight since my sorority days!" And now she'd had one with Nigel Bailey, a naked pillow fight!

"Did those ones end up much the same?" he asked, suddenly interested in the idea of an all girl pillow fight, naked and sweaty and in bed…

She bit him on the shoulder and made him laugh.

"Now can we talk?"

"No."

"Sydney!"

"How can you even say that after what we just did?"

"That…that was wonderful, Syd, and you know that is not what I am talking about!"

"Fine, get your word in, but if you try to make it weird..."

"It is weird, Sydney! Admit it, that felt great but it still feels weird. I mean, after so much time together and never, not once, did we ever consider..."

"I considered it!"

"What? When?"

Sydney lifted her head only long enough to stick her tongue out at him. "Not telling because you're trying to mess this up!"

"Stop acting like a petulant child and listen to me."

She put her hands over her ears. "No!"

He pulled her hands away, but she squirmed and turned her back to him and again put her hands to her ears. He slid up behind her, pulled her hand away again and leaned his chin on her shoulder. "Sydney."

His gently scolding tone had her conceding. "Fine! Talk."

"I refuse to talk to your back."

She turned so quickly, she startled him, and before he could recover she'd captured his mouth.

"Hmmmm," was all he managed even as his hands slid through her hair. Well, that was one way to shut him up.

Their kiss was sweet and unhurried and held none of their earlier frantic passion. It felt just as good, created the same wonderful sensations inside both of them, just softer, and gentler.

"You were saying?" she asked when they finally broke apart.

"So not fair."

She grinned. "Are you complaining?"

He traced her arm with his finger. "No." He stared into her eyes as she lay facing him. "I really like kissing you, Syd. I know I shouldn't…"

"Why shouldn't you? I'm a great kisser and so are you. What's not to like?"

"You know what I mean. It isn't something we…we normally do."

"I think it's something we can certainly start doing, don't you?"

"Not at work."

"No, not at work," she agreed. "We need to remain professional there and in the field."

"It is weird, though, isn't it? It feels…peculiar."

"No."

"Admit it."

She leaned in and tried to kiss him again.

"Sydney!"

"Nigel!"

"Admit it, Sydney."

Sydney moaned and kicked her feet out in distaste because he was right. "Fine! It's...a little weird, okay? I've seen you naked and I can't ever go back from that, happy?"

"No, but at least I know it isn't just me." He sat up against the headboard and propped a pillow behind him. "I'm not saying it's a bad thing, just that it does feel strange."

She sighed and played with the corner of the pillow under her head. It did feel a little weird, especially after all they had done in the last few hours. She might have wondered, once in awhile, while kind of lover Nigel would be, but now she knew and she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"So, is this where you give me the speech that we can never ever do this again because it might ruin the bonds of our friendship and create a solar flare that will encapsulate the Earth; thereby destroying all life as we know it?"

"Are you this bloody neurotic with all the men you have sex with?"

"No! Yes, maybe..." If any other man had said that she would have flipped, but Nigel's wit had always calmed her. "Oh shut up."

He smiled and leaned his arms over his head against the headboard again. "It's all right, I can handle it. I've seen you much worse." He was prepared for the pillow that thumped him this time and laughed. "Enough of that now!" he warned. "Seriously, Syd, tell me how you really feel about this."

"I feel good, Nigel," she admitted. "Better than I have in a long time and..." And she didn't feel the need to fuss with him, or worry if he was going to call her, or if she'd been enough for him. "Good God, I am neurotic!"

Nigel had watched all the expressions filter over her face, it was almost like reading her mind, and smirked. "We'll get you medication." He waited for her quick smile and continued. "I guess, what I'm asking is if today was a one shot deal, or if you'd be interested in, perhaps continuing on a more...active basis."

"Are you asking me when you're going to get laid again, Nigel?"

"No!" He couldn't help it, he blushed bright red, slid down and pulled the covers over his head. He'd tried so hard to be mature about this and all she had to do was be flippant and he lost all his credibility.

Sydney slipped beneath the covers with him, rather than pull him from his hiding place. "Sorry."

"Horrid woman."

She smiled again and snuggled against him. "I am, absolutely horrid, and as to your other question, I don't know. Would you like to end it here?"

"My mind tells we should, but the rest of me is screaming to say no."

"Well, let's just play it by ear then and see what happens." She caressed his chest, enjoyed the smoothness of his skin. Odd, she'd always preferred hair on a man's chest, but this was nicer somehow. "There's no rush, no rules that says we have to decide anything now, right?"

"No." He settled his arm against her. "Rules never seem to apply to us anyway, do they?"

"Not usually."

"And we had a good time, right?"

"Amazing, Syd."

"So we just enjoy it and each other and not worry about it. I think we can do it, Nigel. I think we can stay exactly the same and still be having sex."

"I hope so, Syd."

"It's not like we're madly in love with each other or anything," she continued.

"Right."

"I mean, we're not going to start holding hands and getting all mushy in public, are we?"

"God no!"

"And if and when we find someone we're really interested in then…well then this stops, right?"

"Yes, of course."

"We're both consenting adults and we're friends first, no matter what."

"Agreed."

She lifted up to peer at him. "How do you feel about it, Nigel?"

"I…" He stared at her, searching for the right words, but in the end he had to be honest. "Scared."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Sex always complicates things. I just…I enjoyed it, please don't think otherwise, but I…I don't know if I want to…How do I say this? I'd be thrilled to…to continue to have…um…relations like this with you, but I'm worried about…um…becoming…ah…" He honestly didn't know how to word it that she wouldn't take offense.

"Used to it?" she asked kindly. "Start expecting it?" She watched him nod in relief.

"Yes! Exactly! I…I mean that would be lovely if it was…you know, regular, but I don't want to pressure you or…or feel pressured because…because we're friends and…"

"I know what you mean," she replied. "We can't let it become a habit because then we'll let our guard down and someone's feelings might get hurt, eventually."

"Yes! Oh thank God you understand."

"I do understand, Nigel and I feel the same way, but I think we can make it work." She snuggled back against him. "As long as I get to snuggle occasionally, anyway."

He smiled. "Well, you're welcome to do that anytime, Syd, sex or no sex."

"Really? You wouldn't mind?" She sighed. "Sometimes I just need the contact, you know?"

"Yes, and I'd be happy to provide it for you." He didn't want to tell her how very much he enjoyed when she touched him or he held her, because that _would_ make things weird between them.

"Well, one good thing, at least you'll stop getting flustered if I undress in front of you."

"Oh no, I'll still probably get flustered."

She lifted up, grinning. "Nigel! You've seen me naked, how can seeing me in my underwear possibly fluster you now?"

"It isn't the seeing you in your…that, it's the impropriety that flusters me, Syd."

"Now you're saying I'm improper?"

"Sometimes you are!"

She laughed again.

"Oy, off, I need to go to the loo."

"Go on then." She started to slide the sheet off them, surprised when he caught it. "What's wrong?"

"Look away please."

"You can't be serious?"

"Sydney…I'm naked."

"I know! I'm naked too!"

"Sydney, please!"

"Oh good grief!" She turned on her side, away from him, and felt him leave the mattress. She turned back just in time to see his lovely bare bottom disappear into the washroom. With a grin she rose and followed him for a '_friendly'_ shower for two.


	24. Chapter 24

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine. Nice long chapter for y'all, hope it doesn't put you to sleep. So glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter (Not much smut in this one- lol) but I still hope you enjoy iy. Thanks so so much for the reviews! And now...on we go!

**CHAPTER 24**

"Sydney!"

Both Nigel and Sydney turned and the Englishman tried not to roll his eyes as Kurt Reiner strolled towards them.

"Spatzi!" Kurt immediately pulled Sydney in and kissed bother her cheeks. "What a surprise to see you here!"

"I'll bet." Sydney wasn't any happier to see the rival relic hunter than Nigel and she hated it when Kurt called her a sparrow, it was his way of telling her she was not as strong as he.

Just yesterday she and Nigel had given into their attraction and today they had taken a plane to the Dominican Republic. Nigel seemed far more relaxed than in the months since they had been married, and was his usual doting, reliable self, so maybe they had just needed to get the sex out of their system. It had been a strain, living together and ignoring their growing attraction.

They had just rented a boat to take them to Beata, an uninhabited island in the Caribbean Sea, originally discovered by Columbus that used to house Taínonatives. It was rumored that Columbus had left a valuable artifact on the island and someone had brought a possible map to them that morning.

"I so often expect you to be in the far corners of the Earth," Kurt smiled. "But certainly not this far from civilization."

"We're on vacation," Nigel lied.

Kurt ignored Nigel, as he usually did and continued to smile at Sydney. "Are you going for a boat ride?"

"Yes," Sydney replied and stepped into the speedboat. "And we really should get going before the water gets too rough."

"Where are you going?"

"Just for a ride."

"Ah!" He smiled as he stepped in front of Nigel and hopped into the boat. "Then I shall accompany you! We have much to catch up on."

"Oy!" Nigel protested as he stepped into the boat and tried to maintain his balance. "You are _not_ invited!"

"Who's your source?" Sydney demanded. It was not a coincidence that Kurt Reiner, a former lover and rival relic hunter just happened to be in the same area as they was.

Kurt simply smiled. "Ah ah, I never reveal such things. However, if you…how you say… scrape my back and I shall scrape yours?"

"Scratch, actually," Nigel offered.

"No thanks," Sydney refused. "Keep your source and your back to yourself and get off our boat."

"Now Sydney, is that any way to treat a friend?" He stepped closer and caressed her cheek. "And we are such close friends, Knuddelmuddel."

Sydney willed herself not to respond to his touch. She'd been involved with Kurt a few times, and she always ended up paying for it.

"We could discuss terms, yes?"

"I'm off the market, Kurt."

"Your mouth says no, ah, but your eyes say yes."

"_This_ says I'm married." She lifted her left hand, which sported her wedding rings.

He frowned. "You are not."

"I am!"

"Impossible!" He scoffed. "Who is the man who has tamed the great Sydney Fox?"

"That would be me, mate," Nigel replied quietly, wincing when Kurt burst out laughing.

"You?" He turned to Sydney. "Him! You tease me!"

"Does this look like we're kidding?" Sydney snapped, grabbing Nigel's hand and showed his matching ring. "Stop being an ass, Kurt." She could see the hurt reflected in Nigel's eyes, the doubt Kurt's disbelief caused and it pissed her off.

It didn't matter that their marriage wasn't real, Nigel was her friend and she wouldn't let anyone disparage him. "Now get off our boat before I throw you off."

Kurt tried, with great difficulty, to get his amusement under control and he put his hand out to Nigel. "Please, I do not mean to…offend. I offer you congratulations then?"

With great reluctance Nigel shook the other man's hand, startled when he was yanked closer and Kurt whispered in his ear.

"We both know who wears the dress in this union, eh?"

Nigel flinched and tried to pull away, but Kurt had a firm grip on him.

"Shall I tell you how she prefers it, or let you fumble about trying to satisfy her?"

"Get away from him!" Sydney growled, pulling Nigel to her side; she didn't know what the German had said, but Nigel's expression was enough for her to end it. "Get off the boat, Kurt. I mean it."

He shrugged and jumped back on the pier. "Very well, but you will regret not working with me, Sydney." He leered at Nigel. "Call me if you need help with your woman, little English."

Nigel lowered his eyes and dropped down in the boat seat.

Sydney glared after Kurt for several minutes, until he disappeared along the boardwalk, then settled beside Nigel. "What did he say?"

"Nothing."

"Don't give me that, Nigel. You look like you just ate your stick deodorant."

"I…it's the water. I don't…care for boats."

She put her hand over his. "Tell me, please?"

He shook his head. "It isn't important. It's just nonsense and…and it doesn't matter."

It was just one more pushy arsehole from Sydney's past, and none of what Kurt said had any bearing on their relationship. They were married for convenience. They'd had sex, but it wasn't purely based on chemistry and nothing else.

His hearing was in a few days, and then everything would go back to the way it was. He tried not to feel sad about that. They both knew it would end and whether or not they decided to have sex in the future, well….It would be as friends and he would leave the when and where up to Sydney.

Sydney caught sight of Kurt lurking behind another boat, smirking at them. Incensed, she caught Nigel's face in her hands and planted a big whopping kiss on him.

Nigel tensed for a second, out of habit, then his brain appeared to be eaten by an invisible shark and his desire was all that remained of the corpse. Memories of last night swirled in his mind as he curled his fingers into her hair and pulled her closer.

All thoughts of their hunt, Kurt or anything else, was blasted from Sydney's mind, and all that was left was her, Nigel and the kiss. God, but her Englishman could kiss, and she could feel her center reacting to the pleasure his mouth offered. Maybe it wasn't out of their system, damn it felt so incredible!

She loved the way he blushed! She loved the way he kissed and the way he smelled. She loved the way he took care of her and the way he was always there for her. He was a generous and thoughtful lover and she loved how he…

Sydney pulled back abruptly as a feeling so strong, and pure suddenly burst from her heart. Holy Shit! What was that? Was that...Real or just something brought on by their recent passion?

"What's wrong?" he asked, immediately sensing her distress.

"Nothing."

"Syd?"

His concern for her was almost her undoing and for a half of a second she considered asking him about that odd feeling she'd had or to see if he'd felt anything similar. He was her best friend and now he was her lover, but they never talked about such things; until recently. Everything had changed recently.

She licked her lips, tasted him there and moaned a little. "Why is it so good?" she asked aloud, knowing that it shouldn't be, because they were friends and friends didn't kiss like that.

"Because it's you," he returned her compliment to him last night and watched, stunned as her cheeks grew pink. Good God! He'd actually made Sydney blush.

"You suck."

"Pardon me?"

She shook her head, dizzy from the realization of these new feelings. Why did he always say the right thing at the right time? Why was it he knew just how to make her feel better? He seemed to know her better than she did herself at times, and while before she'd enjoyed that notion, now it frightened the hell out of her.

"I…" She cleared her throat. "I vote we continue this…ahem…back…back at the hotel…later."

"Seconded," he smiled, pushing away the thought of consequences at the idea of he and Sydney making love again. He paused at his own phrasing. Sex, he'd meant to think having sex.

She moved to the front of the boat and pressed the starter with more force than she'd meant to. "Let's get to work before the sun goes down."

He nodded and held on as the speedboat roared to life. She pulled up to the left side of the island and moored the boat to an ancient dock.

Nigel grabbed a small spade, and followed her onto the island. "We have to hurry, Syd. We don't want to be caught out here after dark."

There were rumors that the island was a favorite spot for pirates, who liked to take their stolen treasure and party there in the evenings.

Sydney pulled out the map that they had come across. "This shouldn't take long, if it's accurate." She suddenly didn't want to be here, with Nigel, at least not until she figured out what the hell was going on with her, and that angered her.

She loved working with Nigel! She didn't want to start feeling awkward around him, not him. She realized that he had been right, they should have talked more this morning. Was he having the same feelings? Did he…

"It might be the same"

"Huh?" Her heart quickened at the thought Was he reading her mind?

"Kurt could have the same map."

"Oh, right."

Nigel frowned and touched her shoulder. "Are you sure okay?"

"Yes. Fine. I don't think he has a copy of the map. I think he was just testing us for information." She started walking, suddenly needing to put some distance between them. "I think he was bluffing."

"I wouldn't put it past him." Sydney stopped so quickly after he spoke that Nigel almost ran into her. "What?"

"What did he say to you?"

"Nothing! It…it was just rubbish."

"Nigel…"

He moved past her. "Please, Syd, I'd rather not say."

What could he say? None of her ex boy-friends or rivals would believe that Sydney and his relationship was real, and there was no reason they should. It wasn't real. It was a complete farce and so he shouldn't let what Kurt said upset him; but it did and he didn't know why.

It was one thing for him to wonder if he could ever be man enough for Sydney, something else entirely when others thought it as well. It immediately brought back memories of Cate and that made everything far worse, because if he started comparing Sydney to Cate, all manner of feelings might come up; feelings Sydney would most certainly not welcome.

They found the signature rock formations that were displayed on the map, most of the island was just grass and sand so it was hardly difficult. They walked forty paces from the east side of the third formation.

"It almost seems too easy," she said as they came to a stop in the sand.

"Well…" He leaned on the spade. Sydney seemed tense, practically vibrated from it and he felt the need to inject some humor to lighten the mood. "To dig or not to dig, seems to be the question?"

Sydney recognized and appreciated his attempt, but she didn't even crack a smile, instead she frowned and looked around her for something that might give them more insight than just an X on an ancient map. It couldn't be this simple.

She glanced back over the horizon and saw dark clouds forming; a storm was coming. "I guess we dig."

He nodded and proceeded to pierce the earth with his shovel. Almost immediately there was a quiet click and he paused. "Um…Syd…"

"Nigel, move!"

Before he could, however, the area beneath Nigel's feet gave way and he was falling into a deep, dark hole. Sydney's grab for him was too late and she watched him disappear into the darkness.

"Nigel!" She cursed and dug in her satchel for the flashlights. She switched one on and beamed it down into the hole, as the wind around her picked up. "Nigel!"

"I'm okay!" he called up and slowly rose to his feet. He couldn't see much of anything, except the beam of Sydney's light. "It's just a pit, I think. I should be able to climb…" Something sparkled in Sydney's beam. "Toss me a torch. I think I've found something!"

She did so and he caught it. He shined it over the walls of the hole where he saw the spark and there, almost completely hidden against the walls of hardened sand, was an edge of glass.

"What did you find?" Sydney called down, watching as he started to dig at the wall.

"I'm not sure." he used his fingers to dig around the area and slowly the edge became rounded like the bottom of a bottle. "Syd! I need your knife to dig it out."

Sydney pulled her knife from her boot and dropped it down the hole, as the wind picked up and it started to rain. "Hurry!"

Nigel worked away at the dirt surrounding the bottle as quickly as he could, while being careful not to jostle or crack the glass of the item. There was already a pool of mud at his feet from the rainwater pouring down on him from above.

"Almost got it." he called as he slid her knife in the waistband of his cargos and held the torch in his teeth as he tugged the bottle free. "I've got it! Syd, it's an old bottle and there looks to be a letter inside."

"Great work! Now climb up out of there."

"Here, catch." He tossed her the bottle and his torch, and then started to climb out. He froze as he heard a strange hissing sound surrounding him. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

The rainwater, or perhaps a specifically designed trap triggered when he removed the bottle, caused the walls of the hole to start caving in on itself. "No, nononono… Sydney! The hole is caving in!"

Sydney cursed and ran back to the boat, frantically searching for something to help. She found a nylon rope in the front of the boat, hurried back and spotted a thick palm tree several feet from the hole.

Quickly looping the rope around it, she rushed back and flashed her light down at Nigel, who was already up to his knees in mud. "Here, catch and I'll pull you up."

Nigel lunged for the thread of life, but it dangled several inches above him. The hole was too deep or the rope too short. "I…I can't reach it!"

"Jump!" she urged. "Nigel, jump for it!"

"I…I can't!" He reached with his fingers, but was still unable to make contact with the rope. "My legs are stuck!"

Sheets and sheets of rain were turning the sand around him into wet, clinging muck and made it even harder for him to move. The mud was too thick around his legs and prevented jumping, and each time he did he could feel himself being sucked deeper into it. It was like standing in quicksand.

"I'm coming down!"

"No!" The idea of her being trapped down there with him surpassed his own fear of dying.

"I'm not leaving you down there!" she insisted, forgetting her earlier issues as she got a good grip on the rope and started to slide her leg over into the hole.

"Don't you bloody…" He growled in frustration as he watched her legs appear above him. "Syd! Sydney, please, please be careful!" Terrified, he watched her, his eyes stinging from the rain that was pouring into the hole as she slid against the walls of the hole; releasing even more sand as she climbed down.

Nigel was buried almost to his chest, he felt like he was in the middle of a landside.

"C…can you grab my legs?" she gasped, ever fiber of her being was going into holding onto the slick rope, which threatened to slide out of her grip at any moment.

Nigel reached up and caught her ankles. "Lower!"

She grimaced and slid down lower, so that she could no longer quite make out the top of the hole. "Hurry!"

Nigel caught her calves, but her clothes were wet and muddy and impossible to hang onto. Besides, she'd never be able to pull both of them out. In an effort to save her life, he did something he very rarely did, he lied. "I...I can't get a grip. Climb back up!"

"No!" she refused, and for a moment panic seized her that she would lose him. She lowered herself even further, as she felt her grip slip. "I'm getting you out of there!"

"Sydney!"

She was almost standing on his shoulders now. "Grab my legs."

Nigel cursed, his own hands were muddy and wet. Didn't she understand? Even if he managed a good grip, she'd never be able to pull him out of the suction of mud around him. "Sydney, please, climb back up. Forget about me!"

"Shut up and…" Her grip slipped completely and she fell, almost on top of him.

"No!" Nigel cried and did his best to help her up. "Climb up, Syd! For God's sake, climb!"

"I…I can't." She grabbed the rope, but the mud was sucking her down.

"Sydney…" He had tried keeping his arms above the mud, and now he had to hold them almost straight over his head. Sydney and been sucked in up to her waist as well. "God, not like this. Not like this!"

"I can't get on top of it!"

He grimaced, knowing what it would cost him, and lowered his arms into the mud. He found her legs and with all of his strength lifted her until she could grip the rope again. "Now, for the love of Christ, climb!"

"I won't leave you!"

"Christ, Sydney! If you die down here with me I'll never forgive you!"

"I can't!" she cried. "I won't! Now hold on for God's sake!" Sydney felt his arms go around her waist and with her muscles screaming started to climb, hand over hand out of the pit. Slowly, painfully slowly they moved, squinting against the rain and the wind and the blowing dirt above them.

She felt her shoulder pop out of the socket and still she climbed, felt Nigel starting to slip and still she climbed. Every fiber of being was going into getting them out of the damn pit and she didn't know how she did it, only that she had to. The hole was probably only eight or ten feet deep but it might as well have been forty for the length of time it took them to climb out.

Nigel did his best to cling to her waist as they were slowly pulled upwards, and tried to help by using his feet to brace against the walls as best he could, until finally, thankfully they were out of the water and mud and back into the stormy air.

Sydney clawed her way out of the pit as she reached the top, and sighed in relief as Nigel release her to pulled himself the rest of the way out. They lay that way for several minutes, face down in the dirt and rain catching their breath.

Nigel managed just to get to his knees when Sydney, also on her knees suddenly threw herself into Nigel's arm.

"Why did you do that!" he cried as he clung to her. "You could have been killed, Sydney!"

"I couldn't leave you!" she cried back. "I had to get you out!"

"What would be the point if we both died down there?"

Sydney shook her head and held onto him, unwilling to voice the thought that immediately came to her mind; that it would be better to die together than to survive and mourn him. She realized that she couldn't let him go, she was holding him so tightly but she couldn't let him go.

"We have to find shelter, Sydney!"

She slowly, reluctantly released him, watched him find the bottle and their remaining torches and tossed them into her satchel then give her a hand up. The storm had hit incredibly fast and the mud had been literally blasted off of them by the rain.

"There!" Sydney pointed to the flickering between the trees several yards away. "Come on!"

Nigel hadn't seen anything, but followed her anyway. They found their way to a dilapidated hut, with no door and only square holes for windows. They moved inside, finding only a brief respite from the rain, for the wind still howled through the gaps in the structure.

There was a tiny wooden cot with a mangled looking woolen blanket, two chairs, one with only three legs and a sturdy looking table. It did, thankfully, have a fire pit in the center of the room with a hole in the roof for the smoke to blow out.

"Wood." Sydney indicated the small pile by the wall, grateful to find it there and Nigel quickly went to work with the lighter he always kept in his pocket, building a fire. The moment the fire was lit the chill in the room started to die off, despite the apparent draft issues.

Nigel straightened and suddenly found himself in Sydney's arms again.

"Don't you ever, ever do that to me again!"

"You…you told me to light the fire..."

She smacked his chest, then pulled him close again. "Tell me to leave you, idiot!"  
Nigel's entire body softened and for a moment, he forgot how filthy, wet and cold he was. "I didn't want you to die, Syd."

"I didn't want you to die either!"

"But…"

"Don't!" She put her fingers to his lips and shook her head. "We stay together, Nigel. Always. Promise me."

He instantly recalled Randall's comment about Sydney's fear of losing those she cared about. What could he say? "I promise."

They remained in each other's arms for several minutes, before he started why he was still hanging on to her or she to him? Granted, they had almost died, but in those situations one hug had always been plenty and anymore were…well unwarranted.

Did having sex make him think he was suddenly entitled to grope his best friend? Sydney never would have allowed it before, certainly not in the field and that made him wonder why she would now? Would she expect him to hold her and touch her more often now? How much was too much? Christ, what had he gotten himself into?

The chill, dirt and wet started to seep into his bones and he stepped away. "We…we should…um…"

Sydney nodded and tried not to feel bereft at the loss of his warmth. Why hadn't she been the one to let go? She should have been the one to let go! She started peeling off her clothes and cried out as pain shot through her injured shoulder.

Nigel was beside her in an instant. "You're hurt!"

"Just...just my shoulder." She winced and tried to think past the blinding pain. "Pulled it...I think."

"On the climb? Damn it, Sydney, you..." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "I'll have to push it back in, won't I?"

She nodded grimly.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I'm...already hurting, just...do it...Nigel."

"Oh God." He helped her to lay on the cot and took hold of her right shoulder. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and put it between her teeth. "I'm so sorry."

Her eyes offered him understanding through a glistening of agony.

"Ready?"

She nodded and bit hard on his wallet, releasing a muffled cry as Nigel wrenched her shoulder back in place.

"I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!"

Sydney spit out his wallet and tried not to cry at the relief. It had certainly hurt, but now it was more of an annoying throb than the blinding white pain it had been. "T...thanks."

He brushed her hair away from her face. "Where else are you hurt?" he asked gently as he reached for her hand, and moaned in distress. There were deep gashes against her palms, rope burn. "Oh, Syd." He ripped off his over shirt and started tearing it into strips, which he used to wrap around her hands. "Foolish, idiotic, brave, wonderful, Sydney."

She would have laughed, had she the energy, but while she had been sweating with the exertion and pain earlier, she was now starting to feel the chill. "H...hey. That was my...favorite...shirt on you."

"I'll buy another," he promised gently. "I'll by a dozen if you like, all the same."

"Cold!"

"Yes, we...we should get...out of these wet clothes." He help her to sit up.

"I'm okay," she assured and carefully stood. She tried to pull her shirt off again, only wincing now, but she was still having trouble.

She felt a pair of soft hands grasp the material and carefully pull it over her head. Nigel then bent and helped her off with her boots.

"Thanks," she breathed in relief.

"Get over by the fire, I'll pull this mattress next to it so we'll have something to sit on."

She nodded and did as she was told. She unsnapped the button on her pants and started to pull them down, then suddenly stopped because she thought of Nigel being in the room. Jez-zus! She never felt self conscious! What the hell was wrong with her?

With a decisive tug she felt her pants drop and stepped out of them, wishing now she had worn something a little less skimpy underneath, and that angered her further. She never worried about undressing in front of Nigel before, she didn't know why she was now. She was proud of her body and while not an exhibitionist, she didn't feel the need to hide it from anyone.

She tried to push away her concerns as she dragged one of the wooden chairs over to the fire pit and draped her clothes over the back to dry.

Nigel pulled the ancient, incredibly thin mattress off the cot, and arrange it on the floor in front of the fire then pulled his soaking wet T-shirt over his head.

Sydney frowned. They had to get out of their wet clothes, sure, but usually Nigel would hem and haw about it and she would have to harass him to even get his shirt off. Most times she enjoyed his blustering, but for some reason, his complacency now irritated her.

Greg, her previous assistant, had assumed that because they had become lovers, he could expect sex any time he wanted it, even if they were in the field. Sydney was no prude, she'd had affairs while she was working before, but it was always at the end of a hunt or in an extreme situation, like that damn igloo.

When she had not given into Greg's demands for sex during a hunt, he decided to punish her by not doing his job, and had almost gotten them both killed. She couldn't afford to go through that again. She needed someone she could count on in the field and the idea that Nigel might become unreliable because of what had happened between them scared her.

"We're not having sex," she said, lifting her chin as she turned to face him, daring him to approach her. She immediately felt like an idiot when he stared back at her, stunned.

"O...okay." He had not even been considering the idea

"I...I mean...we're at work so...so no sex."

"I know, Syd." They had agreed to that already. Did she think he'd forgotten? He draped his shirt over the chair next to hers and reached his hand towards her, hurt and confused when she stepped back. "What in God's name is wrong?"

She turned away, feeling foolish and ashamed, especially when his eyes automatically averted from her state of undress, instead of lingering or outright lustfully gazing at her as Greg had.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Slowly he lifted his gaze, keeping it on her face only, despite the desirable picture she offered in her lace and satin. "Did I do something wrong? Do you...Is this because you...you regret..."

She moved forward to touch him, then caught herself and crossed her arms over her chest. Damn it! Now she was second guessing touching him. "I wasn't thinking of you I...I was thinking of...of Greg."

"Greg?"

She nodded and turned away to settle on the mattress by the fire, where it was warmer. A moment later she felt the scratchy wool blanket draped over her shoulders and he settled beside her, close but not quite touching, in his socks, dry because of his waterproof boots, and his wet trousers.

Nigel wrapped his arms around his knees and stared at the fire, making no move to hold her or urge her to talk to him. She needed space and he would give it to her, besides, he was more worried about what might be in the hut with them. God only knew what creatures would be scurrying along its floorboards in the night. The cot had been nailed to the floor, so he could only remove the mattress, but he felt sure he would get very little sleep here, if any.

After a few minutes, Sydney moved closer so their legs and shoulders were touching and slid half of the blanket over his bare, shivering shoulders. The fire cast just enough glow around the cabin for them to see each other, but little else.

"You...you should get out of those pants."

"I'm fine," he returned quietly. He hadn't know what had upset her, but obviously she was feeling vulnerable, something he rarely saw in Sydney.

"I'm sorry about before, Nigel. I wasn't thinking."

"I'm not expecting us to shag every minute of the day, Sydney."

"I know!" she bit her lip and pulled her legs up, mirroring his position. "It isn't you, it's me."

Nigel was silent for a long time, with only the sound of the wind and light cackle of the fire to surround them. "He hurt you."

It wasn't a question and Sydney knew then, without a doubt, that Nigel could never be like Greg. "He was an idiot."

"I'm sorry, Syd."

"Why? It was my own fault. I never should have given into the attraction. I should have kept things professional and platonic, like I have with..." She broke off realizing that wasn't completely true anymore.

"With me." He finished quietly. "It's okay, Syd, to have regrets. I mean...especially if you feel history is repeating itself."

She turned to him then, hearing the hurt in his voice, despite his attempt to hide it. Nigel knew her better than anyone else, and she knew him just as well. "I don't regret it," she insisted putting her hand on his arm. "Really, I don't, Nigel."

Nigel released the breath he had been unaware that he had been holding at her words. "I...I'm glad, Syd." He didn't regret it, he could never regret it. Something that wonderful should only be cherished and remembered. "I mean...it's completely okay if we...if you never want to again, really." Especially if it caused her to remember a bad time with her other assistant and start making comparisons. "But I...it was probably one of the best experiences of my life and I don't think I could ever regret it or feel bad about it." The memory alone would carry him to the end of time, he was sure of it.

His words were genuine and heartfelt and Sydney felt even more the fool for ever doubting him. "Likewise," she said softly. "Nigel, I...Can I be honest?"

"I'd like to think we're always honest with each other, Syd."

"Well...I am a bit of a control freak, I'm aware of that, and I'm...well...what I'm trying to say is..." What was she trying to say exactly? It had barely been twenty four hours since things had changed. Maybe she was over analyzing. Maybe she was just experiencing the afterglow of a fantastic night of sex and trying to see things that weren't even there? "I really liked it too." She was disappointed in herself that she couldn't go further than that.

Nigel sensed she was holding back but he would not push her. She would tell him when she was ready, besides, he wasn't sure _he_ was ready to hear whatever she had been about to confess. "It's a little scary still, isn't it?"

She nodded.

"I mean...I find myself...um...second guessing things now. Isn't that odd?"

"Like...what sort of things?"

"You'll think I'm being an idiot."

"I won't. Tell me."

"Well...Please don't think I am complaining, but I...earlier when you were hugging me...when we were hugging each other...I...I started to worry if I should keep holding you or let you go or if you might think I was taking liberties...but then I have kind of...taken liberties...I mean...well you know what I mean."

Sydney felt the tightness she had been feeling in her chest, since they got to the island ease and almost sighed in relief that he was having the exact same concerns. "Likewise!"

He looked at her, finally. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking the same things. I guess that was why I started thinking about Greg."

He sighed and turned back to the fire. "It isn't going to be easy, is it?"

"Probably not."

They sat silently, each shivering a little against each other, lost in their own thoughts.

Needing something else to talk about, Nigel asked ,"Did...did you get the bottle, Syd?"

Sydney reached into her satchel and pulled out her flashlight and the bottle. It had an old fashioned cork on the end that looked to be sealed with wax. She used her knife to slice the edge of the wax and pulled out the yellowed, rolled piece of parchment.

"It better not be a diagram to avoid pit traps."

Sydney smirked and carefully unrolled the letter, which contained another map. "Huh, looks like the map we had was just part one."

"Lovely." Nigel shivered and tried to pull the blanket closer around his shoulders, without pulling it away from Sydney. The wind seemed to be going right across his back, and his pants were still wet which made his legs cold. "Are you sure it isn't a wild goose chase?"

"Don't know." Sydney studied the map, but was chilled to the bone and suddenly couldn't think straight. She put the letter back in the bottle and capped it. "I'm too cold to think." She set it back in her satchel and switched off her torch. "Get out of those pants and let's lay down, the blanket will cover us better and we can use our body heat."

Nigel tried not to think of what might be _inside_ the mattress they lay on, as he gratefully peeled off his wet pants and lie beside her, turning on his side so Sydney curled in front of him, using their body warmth to help ease the chill. Neither of them had a single sexual thought, this was life or death and romance was the least of their concern.

"I'm so c…cold."

"I know." Nigel held her tighter, but he was almost as cold so perhaps that only made it worse. "The fire will warm us soon." It felt odd. Usually Sydney was the one comforting him. "That storm came on so fast!"

"Yeah. We're not going to be able to leave until sunrise; we'll never be able to navigate the water in the dark."

"Do you think the bottle map is also for this island, Syd?"

"Maybe. We'll look at it again in daylight."

"Hmmm…Maybe it will give Kurt something to think about. Us, alone out here, on an essentially deserted island."

"Will you please tell me what he said to you?"

"No."

"Nigel!"

"It doesn't bear repeating, Syd."

She turned in his arms to face him, the glow of the firelight soft against her skin. She was glad that she felt her usual comfort around him again. "Tell me."

He sighed and told her.

"Why that no good, rotten, insensitive…"

"It's nothing, Syd, Truly, so can we just drop it?"

"You don't feel that way, do you, Nigel?"

"What way?"

"That you're…That I'm more…like the…dominant one in our relationship?"

"You _are_ the dominate one, Syd. You're my employer, remember?"

"Technically the University is your employer, but we're moved past that haven't we?"

"Past what?"

"The…the employee- employer crap. We're partners, Nigel. I know you get paid to help me, but we…we're equals now, right?"

"Can we please discuss something else?"

"Nigel!" She sat up and looked down at him, dismayed. "Don't you feel we're equals?"

"No," he admitted. "And nor should I. Syd, you have far more experience than I, in both school and life. We can't be equals."

"You have just as much experience now as I do…."

"Sydney…"

"And you know just as much, maybe more than me in…in certain things."

He could tell that she was getting upset and didn't understand why. "It doesn't matter. We are partners, we are friends, perhaps we're even equals if you feel it's so." He pulled her back down and covered her, as she was starting to shiver again.

The wind was starting to die down, or at least was not howling through the hut any longer and the fire was warm against their skin, if they stayed close to it.

"Regardless of what we are, we're here and we're together and we'll stay together. Right?"

She nodded numbly. "Is it because I'm too pushy?"

"You're not too pushy."

"Too reckless? Arrogant? H...head-strong?"

"No!" He caught her face between his hands. "Stop thinking like that. This is why I didn't tell you what Kurt said. Now you'll get yourself worked up into a lather over…over nonsense. I don't care about him and nor should you."

"What he said upset you, Nigel. I saw it."

"Yes…It was…a blow to my ego more than anything, but it wasn't because I felt slighted or…or inferior to you, Syd. I don't think you're head strong or arrogant."

She smirked, noticing he'd omitted one. "Or reckless?"  
"You look lovely by firelight, Syd."

She laughed and her concern eased as she snuggled back against him. "Jerk."

"Not at all." He gently urged her to turn back around so he could spoon her, and not feel the delightful crush of her breasts against his chest. Well, perhaps there was a stray sexual thought, he was a man after all. "Now do be quiet so we can nod off to the sound of our teeth chattering."

She pulled his arm over her waist and coiled her fingers through his, sliding as close against him as possible. "This didn't exactly turn out the way we expected."

"Does it ever?"

They grew quiet again, until Sydney spoke. "He almost got us killed just because I wouldn't have sex with him on a hunt. "

"Bastard."

She smiled, but it soon faded as she thought about her former assistant. "He was an excellent TA, and he could handle himself really well in the field, only..."

"Only?"

"The last few times we were together he...It was difficult. He was difficult and he... He could be pushy and when people push me..."

"You push back," Nigel finished quietly.

She nodded. "He said I was a control freak, that I had to have everything my way, but that wasn't true, Nigel! I relied on him for certain things, especially in the field and when he started...pulling away from me and not doing his job properly it...well it almost ended very badly for both of us, but he just couldn't admit that he'd made a mistake."

"He was wrong to treat you that way, Syd. Having an affair is one thing, but to hold his support hostage is not only unprofessional but dangerous. If the hunts we've been on is any indication, he was not only being foolish but damn irresponsible as well."

Sydney detected the hint of anger in his voice and for some reason felt a flush of pleasure cover her body. Most people she'd told about Greg reacted in two ways, either they said 'she was better off without him,' or they'd say that 'she should never have mixed business with pleasure.' They made her feel guilty for starting the affair and it seemed no one wanted to blame Greg for his behavior.

She smiled, no one but Nigel could understand how wrong Greg's behavior had been and she finally felt vindicated over that entire nasty scenario. She didn't know why she had taken so long to tell Nigel the story of her former assistant, probably because she worried he would have disapproved as well, and she didn't want to disappoint him.

She didn't want him to feel disappointed in her, and acknowledging that told her that she was feeling more than friendship for Nigel Bailey. She just wasn't sure how much more.

Suddenly she wanted to reward him for understanding, for being her friend and seeing her side of things. "Um...do...do you want to... ?" She was feeling shy again! Good grief, what was wrong with her? It was only Nigel for heaven's sake!

Luckily Nigel knew what she asking, but the idea of doing that in this filthy place on probably an infested mattress was less than appealing. "N...not really."

She was both relieved and disappointed. "It's not exactly the Ritz, is it?"

"Maybe for The Addam's Family."

She rolled over again to face him. "We could pretend we're in a five star hotel."

"My imagination isn't that g...good, Syd."

She laughed, and unable to help herself she suddenly captured his lips with hers. They kissed for what seemed like an eternity, and for awhile the wind and rain, the crackle of the fire and the filth around them faded until there was just the two of them, together.

Nigel was enjoying the kiss, but the very idea of her actually wanting to make love...Damn, sodding, mother fu...He took a deep breath and finished his thought, even as his lips continued to move over hers. Her asking him to have _sex_ in this hovel simply wasn't appealing.

They finally broke for air and Sydney smiled at him. "Night, Nigel."

He returned her smile. "Sweet dreams, Syd."

She turned back around and they lay in silence for a long while, before finally drifting off.


	25. Chapter 25

DISCLAIMER: Relic Hunter was not my brilliant idea I take no ownership for it. I am glad you liked the last chapter, I hope you like this one as much; besides what is Relic Hunter without a little adventure?

**CHAPTER 25**

Sydney's eyes opened to the sight of Kurt standing over her, smirking.

"I didn't think Little English had it in him," he tossed, and before he could blink found himself flat on his back and a furious, scantily clad Sydney Fox standing over him.

"He's bigger than you ever were," she snarled, her hands curled into fists at her side.

Kurt flinched slightly at the insult and slowly rose to his feet, watching as Nigel pulled his cargos from the chair and quietly slid them on behind Sydney. "Let's compare eh?" he taunted, his hand going to his belt. "The winner gets the girl?"

Sydney snatched the pants Nigel offered her. "The winner already has her." She pulled the stiff, dirty stretch pants on and grabbed her blouse as Nigel silently slid his T-shirt over his head, then crouched to pick up her satchel.

Kurt rubbed his sore jaw as bright beams of sunlight filtered around him from the doorway; the storm was over. "I was worried when you did not return to the mainland."

"Sure you were." Sydney slid into her boots, glad they were waterproof and so were quite dry, then searched for her knife. "Where is it?" she demanded straightening.

Kurt shook his head. "Sydney, always so suspicious."

She moved forward and grabbed him by the throat. "Where is my knife?"

"Sydney, must you…URKK! Here I am, risking myself to… to help you and you treat me like an enemy."

"You are an enemy." She released him and turned away, ignoring his sudden coughing fit as she searched around the bed for her knife. "Nigel?"

"I don't see it, Syd."

She'd get her knife later. "Did you sleep?" she asked.

Nigel nodded as he handed over her satchel.

"I am afraid your boat did not survive the storm," Kurt said.

"What?" Sydney stormed out of the hut and hurried out of the trees to where she could see the ocean. She shaded her eyes and looked towards the dock a good ways away. She saw what was certainly Kurt's boat moored, but not the one they had rented.

Kurt stepped in Nigel's path, once Sydney was further ahead. "You do not fool me."

"It's difficult to fool a fool," Nigel retorted, unwilling to let Kurt get the better of him again.

He and Sydney had almost been killed, buried alive where no one would ever find them, then they had been forced to spend the night in what he a filthy bug ridden cabin. Sydney had been physically hurt getting them out of the pit and emotionally hurt reliving her experience with her last assistant.

Now, they were forced to trust the aid of an unscrupulous bastard to get home again and Nigel's patience was on a very thin leash indeed.

"You will tell me now!" Kurt's lips tightened and he poked Nigel hard in the chest. "You and she are not married. The truth!"

Nigel's temper flared. "You can't handle the truth!" he snapped, surprising himself by pushing the other man out of the way. "Now bugger off before you get a matching bruise on your other cheek."

Kurt's face burned bright red at the gall of the Englishman; the little worm was not worthy or capable of threatening him. He caught Nigel's arm and spun him around. "Sydney would never be with a pathetic thing as y..." For the second time that morning Kurt Reiner found himself flat on his back. He looked up at Nigel, stunned.

"Back off!" Nigel warned. "I am so not in the mood for you!"

Kurt slowly rose to his feet and muttered. "Trouble in paradise?"

"It's gone," Sydney sighed as Nigel stopped beside her, unaware of what had taken place behind her back. "It must have broken up in the storm."

"Or it had help," Nigel muttered. "How's your shoulder?"

"Killing me," she admitted and then offered him a small smile. "But not as bad as it was." She saw he had a smudge of mud on his cheek and absently wiped at it "Rolling in the dirt again?"

He rubbed at a similar mark across her chin. "Seems we were both a couple of piggys."

Kurt felt his temper boil at their comradeship, but still refused to believe it was more than that. "My boat is in good condition," he offered, speaking only to Sydney in a deliberate attempt to shut Nigel out. "I will be more than willing to ferry you back to the mainland..." He paused. "For half of the treasure."

"I thought you'd already been out here and found nothing?" Sydney retorted. "What makes you think we found any treasure?"

He shrugged again. "If there is not," he began looking back towards the woods. "I hope you will find your new home pleasing."

Sydney smirked and reached into her satchel, found her cell phone and the bottle gone, she spun on Kurt. "Where are they?" she demanded.

Nigel immediately searched his pockets, but his phone was also gone.

"Ah…they too must have blown away in the storm."

"You bastard!" Sydney stepped forward and was immediately staring down the barrel of a gun.

"Now, now, Sydney. I didn't want it to be this way, but I need you to help me find the treasure." He pulled the bottle out of his waist pouch and pointed the gun at Nigel, his finger itching to pull the trigger after the Englishman's assault. "Or will I be forced to shoot the good guy?"

Sydney recognized his threat from their previous encounter when they were after the Jade Empress and vowed that this time would end the same, with her and Nigel victorious.

"Fine, what do you want?" Sydney growled, wishing she could have found her knife. Kurt had to have it.

Kurt tossed the bottle to her. "Figure out the map and find the treasure."

"And how do we know you won't leave us here after we find it?" Nigel demanded.

Kurt shrugged. "You don't, but as I have the gun…"

Sydney pulled the paper out of the bottle and she and Nigel studied it. "I don't remember seeing anywhere that this could represent." She paused over multiple X's on the map. "Could he have buried it in different spots?"

"That doesn't make any sense." Nigel took the paper suddenly. "Maybe we need a better vantage point."

Their conversation was abruptly halted as sand exploded beside Nigel's foot.

"What the hell?" Sydney demanded and then spotted a boat of men pulling ashore, all of them armed. "Pirates!" She grabbed Nigel's arm and urged him into a run. "Move. MOVE!"

They ran, sand, dirt and the occasional tree exploded beside them as the bullets from the pirates reigned down upon them. Kurt had conveniently disappeared, but Sydney couldn't worry about that now.

A blow directly in front of them, what seemed like cannon fire exploded and threw them backwards.

Sydney recovered first and found herself looking down the barrel of a semi-automatic with an angular faced man grinning at her.

"What have we here?" He grabbed Sydney up by the arm, as Nigel slowly rose to his knees. "You'll fetch a pretty penny." He tossed her to the two men standing on the other side, which was a mistake, because Sydney immediately went to work dispatching them.

"Enough!" he yelled and put his gun to the Nigel's forehead. "Keep fighting and he dies."

Sydney dropped her stance. Immediately, her hands were pulled behind her and she had a rope wrapped tightly around her wrists. "Hey! What the hell is this?"

The man hauled Nigel to his feet and he was bound in the same way by two other men. "What's going on? What do you want?"

"What do we want?" The leader asked and the others laughed. "Why, everything of course!"

They were led back to the speed boat and noticed a large ship sitting in the bay, several feet out from the shore.

"We can't let them take us, Nigel," she whispered.

Nigel nodded and suddenly dropped to his knees, startling the man behind him. "Ow! My ankle! I've turned my ankle!"

"Get him up!" the leader demanded, not noticing that Sydney had dropped as well and had slid her hands under her legs to the front.

She rolled to her feet and delivered a flying kick to the man behind Nigel, then quickly disarmed another, even with her bound hands. Nigel ran his head into another pirate's stomach, and managed to get to his feet, just as he felt something pierce his side.

"Nigel!"

He'd heard her scream but couldn't see. Between the wind and the rain and the darkness that was clouding over him, everything was suddenly shadowed. "Syd…ney…" He felt his legs drop and the taste of sand in his mouth, and then darkness claimed him.

* * *

Nigel awoke to darkness, pain sweat and nausea. He started to sit up heard the distinct sound of chains as he tried to put his hands to his head. He pulled again and realized that his wrists were shackled to the wall.

What had happened? Where was he? Where was, Sydney? "Syd! Sydney!"

"She isn't here, English."

Nigel turned towards the voice, wishing his eyes could pierce the complete darkness. "Reiner! Where are we? Where's Sydney?"

"She is not here with us."

"Where is here?" He paused and realized he could feel the gentle rocking beneath him. "A boat, we're on a boat!" Then he remembered the men who had shot at them and taken them hostage. "We've been kidnapped by pirates?" he demanded, horrified.

"You were out a long time. I wondered if you were dead."

"Yes, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" Nigel grimaced when he tried to move his legs and immediately felt a sharp pain at his side. "How did they get you? You disappeared…"

"I tried to get to my boat, but did not reach it."

"And you left us to fend for ourselves."

"I would have come back for you."

"Sure you would have." Nigel pulled against his chains again. He was sitting on a hard floor, it was damp, he could smell the sea, but could see absolutely nothing and that was intimidating. "Do you know where they've taken Sydney?"

"My guess is she's in a cabin above. I heard them discussing her purchase price."

"Her what?"

"These are no ordinary pirates," Kurt stated, finally a hint of anger in his voice. "They are white slave traders."

Nigel felt all the warmth flow from his body. "S…Slavery?" So many emotions flooded him at once, panic, anger, fear, disbelief, dread and, above all the others the need to find and protect Sydney. "We…we can't let Sydney be sold!"

"From what I hear, she may not be the only one."

"What are you talking about?"

Before Kurt could answer a creaking sound came from above and suddenly the cargo hold was flooded with light. Both men squinted, partially blinded because of the former darkness, as a tall, muscular man, unshaven and covered in tattoos, and a dark haired, ethnic woman descended a set of stairs.

"This one," the man advised, pointing to Nigel.

Nigel slid back against the wall instinctually as the woman with caramel colored skin and long black hair holding a first aid box crouched before him. "Who are you? Where's our friend? What have you…?" He hissed as the woman lifted his shirt and ripped a bandage off of his side; stained red with his own blood. Where had that come from? What had been done to him?

"This will hurt," she warned him as she pulled out a bottle of iodine and leaned forward.

"How…" He bit his lip so hard that he tasted blood in his mouth. His hands automatically moved with the desire to push her way, but they could not reach past his own head. He closed his eyes as she continued to tend whatever injury he had developed.

He was breathing hard and sweating again from pain by the time she was done, despite her attempt to be gentle.

The girl spoke in Spanish, unaware that Nigel knew that language. "He shouldn't be down here, it's dirty and he could get infected."

"That is why you are bandaging him," the man retorted bitterly, in the same language.

The woman pulled Nigel's shirt down and offered him an apologetic look, then rose and spun on the pirate behind her, again speaking her mind in Spanish. "He won't fetch much of a price if he's dead, you fool!"

"You let the Captain worry about that. You are paid to doctor and nothing else." He gripped her arm and shoved her towards the stairs.

"Where is my friend?" Nigel demanded again pulling at his shackles, trying to push back the fear of being sold himself. "If you've hurt her I'll…"

The man paused on the steps leading up and laughed as he glanced back at Nigel. "She is feeling far better than you, my friend." He continued to laugh as he followed the woman up and then the door closed above. The lights were left on, thankfully.

"This is just bloody marvelous!" Nigel growled at Kurt, yanking at his chains, which just caused him further pain. "You just had to follow us to that island, didn't you? You just had to try and roughshod your way over us."

"This is not my fault!"

"The hell it's not! You scuttled our boat, don't even try to deny it, and you stole Sydney's knife, which she could have used to defend herself."

"I was only after the treasure!" Kurt retorted, just as angrily. "Perhaps if you and Sydney had not decided to stay the night for your little tryst none of us would have been on the island to be taken!"

"We got caught in a storm you arrogant, overbearing, dull-witted, ape!"

"I could not know that pirates were watching the island!" Kurt snapped. "Look, this is getting us no where. We must work together to get out of here."

"Work together?" Nigel scoffed. "With you? I'd rather be sold."

"Well, that is being arranged so I wish you much happiness."

Nigel tried to calm his breathing. He was hurt, afraid and beyond furious, but he knew that Kurt was right. "We have to find Sydney."

"We have to get out of here first."

"Well, unless you happen to have a spare shackle key in your pocket I don't see that happening, do you?" He winced at his side again. "Christ what happened to me?"

"You were shot, but I believe they removed the bullet before bandaging you."

"You…you believe?"

"I only remember pieces, English. I too was knocked unconscious."

"If I could just…" He pulled hard at his wrists, could feel the tender flesh around them scrape and burn with the effort, but the manacles were too tight. "Bloody, cocked-up, wank-bugger, shit-arse, son of a flea-bitten whore!"

Kurt's eye brows rose in surprise and amusement. "Feel any better?"

"No!" Nigel relaxed for a few minutes. His head was pounding, his wrists now hurt almost as much as his side, he was dehydrated and the damn ship wouldn't stop rocking so he was doing his best not to toss his cookies in front of Kurt.

"I did not want either of you hurt," Kurt admitted quietly.

"You threatened to shoot me," Nigel growled. "Every time I bloody see you, you're threatening…" He paused. "Were you the one who shot me?"

"No! It was one of the pirates." Kurt shrugged. "If I shot you, you would be dead, English."

"Well, that makes me feel so much better."

"It should. I do not miss, which means if I can get a gun we can get out of here."

"You and your damn guns."

"At least I do not need a woman to protect me."

Nigel glared at him. "When we find Sydney and get out of here you'll need an army to protect you," he warned and then started to take stock of their surroundings.

They were definitely in a cargo hold, no windows and only the one door far above them. There were crates and barrels of supplies, but neither man could reach then because of their chains.

"There is a way, English."

"What way, Reiner? And stop bloody calling me English!"

"The doctor. She comes down every hour to check your wound."

"So?"

"So, she likes you. I can see it in her eyes."

"What to you suggest I do, propose to her?" He looked away as he thought of Sydney and what could be done to her. His friend, his partner…His wife.

"A little kindness, some flirting may get her to let you go. Use her interest to your advantage, unless you are incapable of letting a woman know you desire her?"

Nigel didn't bother to reply. Kurt would think whatever he liked regardless of anything else said. "She'll probably have that other fellow with her. I doubt he'll exactly allow her to say or do much."

Kurt shrugged. "Well, if you cannot do this one little thing, I suppose that I will have to think of something else."

Nigel swore, silently this time at Reiner's obvious attempts to goad him and decided not to rise to the bait. "Knock yourself out," he muttered and turned his own mind inward towards a solution.


	26. Chapter 26

DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine. This didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted, but I hope that you enjoy it anyway. Note the use of a well known actress we all know and love

**CHAPTER 26**

Sydney smiled as she floated on…something. She felt good, although a little dizzy. She kept thinking there was something she was forgetting but couldn't remember what it was, perhaps that was why she forgot it?

She giggled and looked up to see pink, fluffy clouds circling her. How pretty, she thought and wondered what they tasted like. She lifted a hand that seemed unusually heavy and scooped up some of the fluffy goodness. Cotton Candy! Yum!

A sound to her right caused her to turn away from the clouds and she saw a giant blue pelican sitting at the end of her float. Boat….mattress…bed? She was on a bed, but why was it moving, or was it she that was moving?

"Hello," she smiled at the pelican and offered him some of the cotton candy cloud that stuck to her hand. "Want some?" The pelican squawked, flapped its wings, and then continued to watch her.

A wide eyed cat stared down from atop a shelf, a huge grin spread across his face, but his fur was multicolored and kept changing.

"Are you a Cheshire Cat?" she asked it as it pulled out a crack pipe and lit it, releasing a small cloud shaped like an O.

"Go with the flow," it said in a deep voice that resembled Sean Connery. "Flow with the go."

Sydney laughed and tried to sit up, but she felt heavy. She sighed, she was comfortable anyway, just laying here, talking to a stoned cat eating cotton candy clouds.

A chipmunk ran up her leg and settled on her stomach. "Well, aren't you the cutest thing ever!" She moved her hand to pet it and was surprised when it nipped her. "Hey!"

The chipmunk took out a pair of large reading glasses and put them on his nose to stare at her. "The wolf is coming!" he chirped, his hands folding together in worry. "You have to get up. The wolf is coming!"

"The big bad wolf?" Sydney smiled and reached up for another piece of cloud. "I can handle him."

"This is bad. This is very bad!" the chipmunk tsked and moved up to settle on Sydney's chest, clapping his tiny paws to get her attention. "You have to get up. This is no time for cloud eating!"

She looked at the animal dreamily. "You remind me of someone," she sighed affectionately, although she couldn't remember who. "You're so adorable." She tried to pet him again and this time he curled into her hand for a minute, before sitting up and adjusting his glasses.

"Please, Sydney. You have to wake up. This isn't real!" He looked behind him and scurried behind her head. "They're coming!"

"Who's coming?" she asked absently as a giant white Rabbit stepped onto her float, dressed in a top hat and a hula skirt. "What's up doc?"

The Rabbit smiled and moved forward, but for some reason, Sydney didn't like his smile. The pelican squawked and squawked, then flew away as the Cheshire Cat slowly evaporated.

"Come back!" Sydney cried to the cat as the Rabbit leaned over her. "Did you see my cat?"

"No," the Rabbit smiled. "But I'll help you look."

"Thank you. He's about yay big and…" Slashes of colors started drifting around her and she tried to catch them. They were going so fast, as soon as she closed her fist around one it darted just out of reach, then came forward again; teasing her.

She felt something crawling up her leg and batted it away, then it appeared on her stomach and she did the same thing. Where was her chipmunk? Where was the pelican? Why had they abandoned her?

An Ape appeared beside the Rabbit, an enormous black Ape. "Cesar!" she cried surprised that the leader of the apes would be lovely enough to visit her. "I totally loved your movie. You were great by the way."

"She's completely zoned," Cesar said, scowling. "How much did you give her?

"A shot and a half."

"Are you crazy? Do you know what that will do to her when she crashes?"

Sydney focused on the word crashed and used her hands as an airplane to fly above her, making a low engine sound before pretending an explosion. "Ahh ahhh, they're all gonna die!" She caught sight of her cloud again and scooped another piece. "Yum."  
"She was difficult. Captain said to make her easy, so I made her easy."

"Easy come, easy go…"Sydney smiled up at them and then suddenly remembered something ."Where'd my chipmunk go? He was so cute. Can you bring him back?"

The Rabbit nodded as he looked at her with his giant black eyes. "Sure, he'll be back later. But for now, we can have some fun…"

"Captain said she wasn't to be touched!" Cesar warned, pulling the Rabbit back.

"You can't touch this! Da da dan da…doo-doo-doo doo."

"Captain isn't here, is he? And she won't remember anything."

Sydney sat up suddenly. "Where am I? Who are you?" She grabbed the Rabbit by the shirt collar. "Have you seen….?" She lost her thought again. "My…my dad?"

"He's in the other room," the Rabbit smiled. "He sent me to play with you."

He did?" Sydney brightened and then just as quickly frowned. "No. No, he wouldn't…" She paused again and shook her head, something was chipping away at her mind, something she needed to do or remember.

"Sydney!"

She started as the chipmunk screamed in her ear. "Get up! They're going to hurt you!"

"Hurt me?" she asked dazed and felt something crawling across her breast as she struggled to make out the words that were floating around the room in different cartoon colors.

_Captain…her touched….Good price…won't know….pass up…._

Price? What price? Was there a sale on? Oh! Were they selling shoes?

She scowled as the Rabbit's paw landed on her breast. "Hey!" she pushed him away. "Back off, Bugsy!"

She focused again and was appalled when the Rabbit morphed into a large, toothy Wolf! "Oh shit. You're not a rabbit!" She looked up feeling a spark of panic surge within her even as the Wolf's massive paw scattered her tasty pink clouds. "Hey! I was eating those!"

"I have something else for you, just as tasty," the Wolf said as he took her arm.

"Are you crazy! You'll overdose her!"

The Wolf shoved the Ape away and Sydney felt a strange prick in her arm.

"Get up, Sydney! You have to get up!" the chipmunk squealed, only it wasn't it's normal high pitched voice, this time it was urgent, accented and achingly familiar. Who was it? Who was it she couldn't remember?

She felt so suddenly so dizzy, and so…aroused! God! She was so warm; she could feel her body trembling with heat. What was wrong with her and who had turned up the temperature?

The Wolf was helping her out of her clothes. Oh, yes, that's better, she thought. Much cooler…

She suddenly felt a heavy weight atop her. "No," she moaned and tried to push it off. "Chip…chipmunk…" Come back Cat. Come back Pelican. Why had they left her to the monsters?

"Relax," a breathy voice growled in her ear. "You'll feel good again real soon."

Sydney's breath hitched, she started to pant, her body was reacting to the Wolf's touches. She didn't want him to touch her, she didn't want that, but she couldn't stop enjoying it. "I…I…don't want…" She closed her eyes tightly. She wanted her clouds back. "Chipmunk? Come…come back…"

Something was hanging from the Wolf's neck, a talisman? It was shiny and pretty and she found herself mesmerized by it. "Ni…gel…"

* * *

Nigel and Kurt looked up as the door to the cargo hold opened and the doctor descended again, this time with a different man, a smaller, less interested looking one, but still carrying a semi-automatic.

She immediately walked over, crouched beside Nigel and lifted his shirt. His bandage was soaked through again. "You must stop struggling," she insisted quietly in heavily accented English.

"I'm sorry." He returned softly. "I'm…It hurts and…" He lowered his eyes and bit his lip as she looked at the dried blood on his wrists.

"You are only making things worse for yourself," she said as she pulled off his bandage again, this time gently. "You've pulled your stitches."

He flinched when she put her fingers to his wound.

"Forgive me."

"No, you…you've a soft…touch." he whispered catching her eyes with his. "I know you're not trying to hurt me."

She found herself lost in his eyes again, as she had the day before when they first brought him aboard and she'd had to remove a bullet from his side. "I don't want to hurt you," she said so softly he had to strain to hear her.

"I know. Thank you."

"How do you feel?"

"Badly. I feel ill and my side hurts a lot." He offered her a shy smile. "But my view has greatly improved, at least." He was rewarded with her blush.

"Let's go already," the other man demanded in perfect English.

The woman rose and, also in English said. "He's pulled his stitches. I'll have to do them over."

"So do them."

"I have to clean and disinfect it before I stitch it again"

"He stays here. Captain's ordered them both to remain below until he returns."

"Then you can explain to the Captain why this one died of infection." She stepped up to him, bravely. "Will you pay him for his losses?"

The man hesitated, obviously torn between the Captain's orders and the idea he would have to replace any money they might get for the prisoner. "Fine, but you will be quick and he comes back here. If he tries anything, money or no, I will shoot him."

"Of course." She stepped aside so the man could unlock Nigel's chains and then she slid an arm under the Englishman's shoulders. "Well, help me!"

Again hesitant, the man slid an arm under Nigel's other shoulder and helped him up. They started across the hold, toward Kurt, and Nigel suddenly dropped again, so that the man had to use both hands to hold him.

"S…sorry," Nigel said. "Sitting…too long."

"He has lost much blood," the woman said as she took hold of him again. "We must hurry."

"Careful there, English," Kurt sneered from his position on the wall. "You don't know where she's been."

Nigel suddenly threw himself at Kurt, curling his hands around the German's neck and squeezing. "Filthy bastard!" he cried as Kurt started to choke. "I'll kill you!"

The pirate pulled Nigel away and the Englishman almost immediately crumbled, his side was soaked with blood. "Doesn't seem weak to me!"

The doctor was beside Nigel in an instant, checking his pupils. "He is going into shock. Upstairs, now!"

The man tossed Nigel over his shoulder and carried him up, as the woman quickly followed. The door shut behind them as Kurt watched from below, wheezing. Slowly, he started to smile and opened his lips to show the key Nigel had lifted from the pirate.

"There is indeed more to you than meets the eye," he murmured as he sat up and started to work at his manacle lock with the key between his lips.

Nigel was brought into a small cabin that had been outfitted with a few outdated medical supplies. He was laid on a hard table with a bright light over it and had to work to stay conscious. He couldn't go into shock. He needed to find Sydney.

"Cold…" he began and started to shiver.

"You need a transfusion," she murmured as she cut off his blood stained T-Shirt and pulled off his bandage again. "I do not have the equipment here." She rolled a raised silver tray, which held cotton balls, peroxide and a few other things, closer to the table, then moved to a wall cabinet. She pulled out a small bottle of liquid and a syringe.

"What…what is that?" he asked, even as his mind searched the room for a weapon and kept a sharp eye on the guard standing just outside the open cabin door. He was so lightheaded.

"A sedative," she stated. "I will need to tie off the wound for it to stop bleeding, before I can stitch it. It is better that you not be awake."

"No." He needed to stay sharp, need to concentrate! "Please, they…they don't react well with me. It…it will make me ill."

"It will hurt very much without it," she warned.

"Hurts very much now." He managed a lopsided smile. "Please, just…do what you have to."

She scowled and set the sedative on her tray, then returned to the cabinet and selected a different bottle and syringe "I will give you some morphine; it will dull the pain at least."

Nigel didn't want to take that either, but he was in bad shape and at least the drug would ease the pain. "Not….not too much please."

"Do you not like any drugs?" she asked as she carefully injected him. "There are those that help."

"Yes, I…I just…" He smirked and almost cried as the morphine immediately entered his bloodstream and eased his discomfort. "B…Body is a temple and all of that."

She offered him a small smile, and then pressed a thick, wet cloth to his wound and pulled a leather belt around his stomach. She tightened it and he hissed in pain. "I told you it would hurt."

He could only nod. His entire left side was on fire and he could barely think straight. He could practically feel his blood throbbing through his body to the opening in his wound. Good God! He lay back, fisted his hands and closed his eyes, wanting to ask for more morphine and knowing he couldn't.

He felt her clean the skinned flesh around his wrists, her touch surprisingly gentle.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No…not as much…as the belt…" He moaned and managed a small smile as he opened his eyes. "You've the hands…of an angel. I can hardly feel them."

She smiled wider then. "Good. I do not wish to hurt you further."

"What's your name?"

"My friends call me Tia."

"It's…" He hissed as she applied antiseptic to his wrists, and then wound them both in gauze and tapped them off. "It's nice to meet you, Tia. I…I'm Nigel."

She blushed but didn't look up from her work. "You are…very beautiful, Nigel."

"I'll fetch a good price then, won't I?"

She scowled and turned her attention to his side again. "You… understand why you are here?" She loosened the belt and checked the wound, it was still seeping, but not as bad, so she could begin the stitches.

"Why we were kidnapped, yes."

"I am sorry, Nigel."

"That's lovely," he sighed.

"What is?"

"The way you...say my…name." He tried to shake away the weightless feeling that was over coming him, knowing it was either shock or the morphine. "I like your accent, Tia."

Another blush as she picked up a needle and thread. "This will hurt, Nigel. I am sorry."

"No…it's…it's fine." Damn it, man, concentrate! "I…I think you…you gave me too much…Tia."

Tia smiled and leaned closer. "I could ask the Captain if I could keep you? I could tell him you will assist me. Would…would you like that?"

"I want… to go home. I have… to find my friend…Syd… Sydney and take her home."

Tia straightened disappointed as she began stitching him. "The Captain will not give her up. That is certain."

"Won't you help us?" He reached for her hand, found his fingers were trembling.

"I…" She glanced at the pirate by the door, and then back at Nigel. "I cannot go against them. You do not understand…"

"If you help us, you can… escape with us…"

She shook her head. "The Captain will only find me and bring me back, he always does." She turned away to drop the bloody needle in a bowl of water and did not see Nigel slip the forgotten sedative into his hand.

"I feel so…disoriented. What…what did you give me?"

"Morphine, as I said." She redressed his wound then moved closer to him and whispered. "I would be very good to you, Nigel, better than who you would be sold to and…and I am pretty, am I not?"

Nigel stared at her and prayed for his mind to focus. A flash of guilt flared inside of him as he lifted his knuckles to touch her cheek. "Very pretty," he admitted and gently pulled her closer, until their faces were only inches apart, their lips close to touching. She was lovely. "I'm so sorry, Tia."

She started to smile, thinking how charming it was for him to apologize before he kissed her, but instead of the touch of his lips, she felt the prick of a needle at her neck and her eyes widened. "W…what?"

He caught her before she fell, the sedative must have been a powerful one. "So, so sorry." he whispered as he struggled off the table and gently laid the doctor on the floor. "Help…Something…something's wrong with her!"

The man entered immediately, his gun raised. He aimed it at Nigel. "Stand away," he warned and once Nigel backed up with his hands raised, he crouched beside the doctor. "Tiana? Tiana?" He gently slapped her face. "Tia…"

The remainder of his words went unformed as Nigel hit him behind the head with a metal crutch that had been standing in the corner beside him. He winced as the action pulled at his wound again.

So dizzy, so… He stumbled over the bodies on the floor and slipped outside the cabin. Sydney. He had to find Sydney.

He half walked, half slid along the interior wall, checking the cabins he passed. Too slow, he was moving too slow. He noticed a long crow bar off in a corner and snatched it up as he heard someone coming down the hall. He slipped into one of the rooms and waited.

The door started to open and he swung blindly, then was treated to several German curses.

"Damn it!" Kurt grabbed the weapon from him. "You almost killed me."

"Took…your time." Nigel murmured and stumbled forward, only to be caught by Kurt and steadied. "I have…to find Syd."

"What did they give you?" Kurt demanded as he transferred the machine gun he carried to his other hand and pulled Nigel's arm over the other.

"Morphine, but…it's wearing…I'm fine." He suspected it was more the blood loss than the drug that was making it difficult for him to focus. He pushed away from Kurt; he didn't want the other man's assistance, but noticed that the relic hunter also had a large duffel bag over his shoulder. "What's that?"

"Supplies, now let's go."

"We have to find Sydney.

"The captain and several of the crew are on one of the islands, they could be back any time. We have to leave now."

"Not without, Sydney."

Kurt glared at him. "I wasn't considering leaving her behind, English," he snapped as they moved forward. They were surprised when the cabin in front of them exploded and a flying body slammed into the wall of the corridor then slumped to the floor unconscious.

They carefully peeked around the broken doorway and saw a scantily clad Sydney Fox struggling with a large brute.

"Many will pay highly to…" The brute grunted as she socked him in the jaw, but he caught her next attempt and pinned her against the wall. "…Break such a woman."

"Sorry, but I'm priceless!" She could think, for a few minutes anyway, a brief respite of clarity when she saw her ring dangling around the wolf's neck…wolf? Man…pirate… Either way it was enough to realize she was about to be raped, and then rage took over.

He hadn't expected her to be aware, to be strong, and so was surprised when she snatched her ring off his neck and attacked. But, she still wasn't fully herself, she could feel the effects of whatever else they had injected her with start to soften and destabilize her mind; her body was starting to disobey her commands.

She dropped to her knees, giving into the need to just melt into the floor, but still managed the focus to clamp down on the man's groin with her teeth.

He roared and slapped her, only to be knocked unconscious by Nigel's crowbar.

"Sydney!" He tossed the bat aside and helped her to her feet. "Syd, are you okay?"

She was having trouble focusing again, damn it! Now she was floating again, floating and unfocused and unbearably hot. "Nigel?" she sighed as she started to let herself drift. That's what she'd forgotten; Nigel. "Help… Drugged…"

"I know, Syd." He spotted a syringe on the floor and grabbed it up, hoping the hospital would be able to use it to learn what she had in her system. "Come on, we have to go."

He gently helped her to her feet and noticed the chain that was now dangling limply in her palm. He slid it into his trouser pocket, and then looked around for something for her to wear.

"Why are you naked?"

"I'm not." He grabbed a colorful poncho off the wall and slipped it over her.

"I like you naked." She slid her hands across his bare chest.

"Really, really not the time, Syd." He helped her step around the brute and the other man in the hall, just as the thunder of the men running and shouting above alerted them that they had little time left.

"Wait!" Sydney cried, startling them. She pushed away from Nigel and dropped to her knees in the hallway. "Come on. We have to go. Come on." She started making strange, clicking sounds with her tongue as she cupped one hands by the floor. "Hurry!"

"What's she doing?" Kurt demanded as he kept his gun trained in front of him. "We don't have time for this…."

"Syd, we have to go." Nigel insisted.

She rose, her hand cupped carefully as she turned to Nigel. "I couldn't leave him behind."

"Who?"

"The chipmunk."

Nigel raised an eyebrow, even as he started to pull her back along the corridor, with Kurt in front of them.

"He saved my life," Sydney was saying dreamily. "He's really cute and he reminds me of someone."

"That's lovely, Syd. Here, give me your hand…"

"But he'll fall."

"Put him on your shoulder then."

Sydney smiled at the idea and went into the motions of doing just that as Nigel suddenly stopped and handed her off to Kurt. "Take her up."

"Where the hell are you going?" Kurt demanded as Nigel started back the way they had come.

"Get her to a boat, I'll be right behind you!"

Nigel could feel his adrenalin supersede his earlier pain and disorientation as he stepped inside the small medical cabin. He carefully picked up Tia, who was still unconscious, and put her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. It hurt, but he managed and made his way back through the corridor again.

The sound of gunfire above alerted him to the Captain's return as he climbed the steps towards the deck; careful of his passenger. His side was killing him, and he was having trouble catching his breath, but he would make it. He had to.

He stepped into the dim light of evening. The cries of angry men came from the other side of the ship and Nigel kept to the shadows as he heard a speedboat start up. That would be Kurt.

Tia was starting to stir and he felt her weight shift as he made his way to the side of the ship and looked down at the water. Would there be sharks, he wondered? There was more gunfire and shouting, and a few seconds later, he spotted Kurt coming around the ship in a speedboat.

"Jump!" he yelled at Nigel, as Tia started struggling.

"Stop!" Nigel warned as he dropped her to her feet and she tried to pull away. "Stop it! I'm trying to help…." A gunshot ricocheted off the railing inches from them and they turned to see the Captain and four very angry men running towards them.

And suddenly, whether they were ready or not, both of them jumped over the side.


	27. Chapter 27

DISCLAIMER: RH not mine. This didn't turn out quite the way I wanted, but I can't figure it any better, so I'll offer it up for reviews anyway. Thanks for reading and all your support.

**CHAPTER 27**

Sydney pulled Nigel into the boat, grinning. "First catch of the day!" she laughed, as Kurt pulled the doctor over.

"This is why you went back?" he snarled as he hurried to the wheel and sped away, the pirates were still firing at them from their ship. "Why did you bring her?"

"She…she doesn't be…long with them," Nigel managed as Sydney dropped gleefully down on the seat and pulled him against her so her hands could easily reach his bare chest. "Why did you stop to…rob them?"

Kurt glanced at him, startled, then grinned. "Sydney said you were good, but I did not think you could smell treasure, English."

Nigel pulled away from Sydney and reached for Kurt's bag, only to have the click of the German's machine gun sound. He looked up, saw Kurt driving with one hand and the gun trained on him. "Supplies my arse."

"They will come after you. They will kill you all now."

He turned to Tia who was looking defiant and scared. "I couldn't leave you to them," he offered kindly. "They would have…" He shook his head. "You saved my life..."

She shook her head and pulled her legs up to her chest. "You do not understand. He will find me. He always finds me."

"Not this time," Nigel promised and touched her knee. "You'll be safe now…."

"Less talk and more help," Kurt snapped as he tossed Nigel another machine gun as the sound of other boats started to draw near. "We can't outrun them in the dark, so I hope you can shoot as well as you talk."

Nigel scowled at the gun, but then expertly checked the clip. He knew Sydney didn't like guns, but he'd decided to learn more about them in his spare time. He felt it gave them another option if they needed it. "You worry about the driving, I'll worry about them."

"Guns are bad," Sydney frowned, and then fell backwards into the bottom of the boat and started grasping at things that no one else could see.

Nigel was desperately worried about her, but had more pressing matters to attend to. He could see the lights of the first boat speeding towards them and fired off a volley of shots. His attack was returned with unrivaled fury as he ducked his head and held Tia's down as well.

"Do I need to come back there?" Kurt cried over the roar of the sea and the motors.

"Sod off!" Nigel lifted his head and shot off another volley, shooting out the boat lights and causing two of the men to dive over board, but there were three more boats behind that one and they were gaining. "I'll run out of shots before they run out of men!"

"Grenades." Kurt indicated the bag. "And that better be all you take, English.

"I'm more concerned about our lives than your bloody cache, Reiner." Nigel growled as he pulled the bag open. Inside were wads of cash, sparkling clumps of jewelry, selection of other weapons and three hand grenades. No wonder the pirates were so intent on perusing them, Kurt had probably cleaned them out!

Another spray of bullets rained down on them, splintering pieces of the boat around them as Nigel ducked to cover his head. If they kept this up the bloody boat would simply sink.

He felt a body jump on him. "Sydney!"

She giggled and squeezed his ass. "I have a present for you!"

He pried her off of him. "In a bit of a situation, here." He raised his head up and was met with another swarm of bullets. "Christ Jesus!" Then to Kurt. "Can't you go any faster?"

Kurt was trying to drive and keep his head down. "The throttle is down! I thought you could handle them?" The pirates weren't aiming to destroy the boat, although it had several holes in it already. They obviously wanted their goodies and their prisoners back in one piece, or they were being cautious because of their doctor being on board.

Sydney suddenly grabbed the machine gun from Nigel, jumped up and started firing. "Asta La Vista asswipes!"

Nigel gaped as she managed to hit three of their pursuers immediately, one of them the driver, which caused the first boat to slow considerably and swerve away from them. "Sydney!" He pulled her back down and she grinned at him.

"Yo, Nigel."

"Yo, yourself," he couldn't help but grin back at her. If the circumstances of her behavior weren't so terrifying he'd think to tease her mercilessly once they were out of this mess. He sent a pleading look to Tia. "Please, keep her down?"

The woman crawled over and pulled Sydney away from Nigel, keeping both of their heads below the sides.

Nigel took the chance and rose on his knees, the third boat was gaining on them so Nigel tossed a grenade with all his strength, expecting it to just blow up in front of them, but was shocked that the grenade landed on the railed boat top, too far away for anyone to reach, and in horror the pirates all dove for the water.

"Turn! Turn! Turn!"

Kurt turned the boat sharply, as the unmanned boat roared past them and then exploded. "And then there was one," he smirked as they came around a corner in the waterway and lost sight of the other boat for a few seconds, but it was enough for Kurt to make a split decision and suddenly their boat slowed.

"W…what are you doing?" Nigel demanded as they reversed into a small reef almost hidden by trees.

Kurt shut off the engine, and without the lights they were completely covered in shadow. "We can't out run them, we'll have to wait them out," he whispered and also ducked down.

"We need to get Sydney to a hospital," Nigel hissed in the darkness, but did not completely disagree with their rival. "God only knows what drugs are in her system!"

"Ssshhh!" Tia cried as the sound of the other boats neared, knowing that her own life was in just as much danger if the others found them.

Nigel felt a hand on his chest, softly caressing him and trapped it as the pirates roared past.

"Nigel," Sydney sighed and slid against him. "Want you."

"Sshhh, Syd."

"Ecstasy."

Nigel looked at Kurt who had crawled over to them. "What?"

"That's probably what they gave her."

They could hear the pirate's boats returning and them shouting to each other to search the reefs. Nigel recognized the Captain's voice among them. They all lay at the bottom of the boat and tried to be as still as possible.

Sydney started singing You Light Up My Life and Nigel clamped his hand over her mouth. He could feel her smile against his hand, even as hers travelled down towards his trousers. He flinched in surprise and just barely kept his squeak to himself.

His left arm was trapped beneath her, and he couldn't remove his right from her mouth, so he had to lie there in the darkness and accept her gentle assault. He was grateful it was too dark for the others to see, at least he hoped it was. Luckily, impending death was a great suppresser for the libido, so her caresses did not have the expected effect.

She started licking his hand over her mouth and Nigel found it beyond irritating. He hissed and ripped his hand away, when he felt her hand slid inside of his trousers. No amount of danger would control a skin on skin reaction.

Sydney immediately started to sing again, but this time she was silenced by Tia's hand. Nigel met the doctor's gaze over Sydney, gratefully, as he kept a firm grip on his mentor's hand.

He'd never seen Sydney in such a state and didn't find it the least bit amusing. It frightened him, seeing her so changed, so out of control. When she started to struggle again, he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "Sssh," he whispered close to her ear and kissed her cheek as his thumb caressed her fingers, hoping it would placate her until the pirates were gone.

Sydney didn't understand why Nigel wasn't playing with her. She was so hot and he was hot. His chest was bare and smooth and a little wet, she could just eat him up. God, every fiber of her being was on high alert and she needed release, why wouldn't he give it to her? Didn't he love her anymore?

Maybe he was playing a game with her. She could hear voices and realized they were looking for someone. Were they looking for them? Was her chipmunk with them? She'd lost her chipmunk somewhere, but then she realized it could be the wolf and that made her scared again.

Fear caused her to focus on a shadow moving towards them, creeping ever so slowly across the boat. Why didn't anyone else see it? Why weren't they running away? The shadow opened two glowing red eyes, and then showed ragged white teeth as it slithered towards her.

She curled even closer to Nigel and started to shake. She couldn't see anything in the darkness to use for defense. She could see the thing coming towards them. A moan of fear escaped her, her heart was pounding, her body soaked with sweat, and a scream was building in her throat.

Nigel could feel Sydney trembling beside him, but could do nothing until the pirates moved away. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness and he could see her looking over his shoulder at…something.

He took a chance and released her hand to force her to look at him. Whatever she was seeing was terrifying her, her eyes were wide and fearful. He never saw that look in Sydney and that made him worry even more. He held her gaze and stroked her back, trying to calm her in the darkness. Damn. He wish he knew what they had given her!

Finally, the pirate's boat started to drive off, but to Sydney the sound was that of another black, red-eyed creature crawling into their boat from the water beside them. She wrenched away from Nigel in horror. It was right behind him Couldn't he see it?

"Sssh…it's okay, Syd," Nigel whispered as she sat up and started scrambling towards the front of the boat, away from him. "Syd…what's wrong?"

"She's hallucinating," Tia stated quietly. "Seeing things. It's the drug."

Nigel followed and crouched before Sydney, held out his hand as she cowered in the corner. "Syd, it's okay. There's nothing there."

"Kill….kill….black and…red….it…it's going to…Nigel, look out!"

The shadow creature dove for Nigel and seemed to swallow him whole. With a cry Sydney threw herself forward, trying to wrestle the demon back, but it was strong, stronger than she had anticipated and her limbs felt so heavy.

"Syd no!"

Her hands went around its throat and squeezed.

"You're killing him!"

Yes! She needed to kill it! She needed to kill it to get Nigel back. Die! Die! "Die!"

Suddenly she was yanked away, but she struggled against her captor; she needed to kill the demon. To save Nigel she had to kill the demon!

"Sydney! Stop it!"

"I have to kill it! I have to!"

The full moon came out from behind a cloud and cast a glow through the shadows of the boat, and Sydney's eyes focused on the demon lying on his back, coughing and holding his throat as a woman crouched over him. What was she doing? What was that woman doing? Didn't she see that it was a demon?

The woman pulled back and Sydney saw that the form lying in the bottom of the boat was Nigel. She had been choking Nigel! "No!" She pulled against Kurt who struggled to hold her back. "Let me go! Nigel! Nigel!"

He released her and Sydney scrambled forward, even as Nigel rolled away from her onto his side and gasped for the much needed oxygen she had robbed him of.

Tia pushed Sydney back, furious, and put herself between them. "Get away from him, you maniac!"

"No! It was a demon! I had to kill the demon!"

"No…" Nigel croaked and winced as he slowly climbed to his knees. "Not…it's…drug." He coughed and fully expected to start vomiting razor blades.

"I'm sorry!" Sydney started to cry, large wet tears streamed down her face just before she hid behind her hands and started to rock on her knees. "I'm sorry!" But then she started to see another rising out of the water, and another. She opened her mouth to scream and was quickly silenced by Kurt.

Nigel pushed Tia away and crawled to where Sydney fell. "You bastard!" he croaked and felt as if razor blades were slicing through his throat, even as he laid his hand against her feverish cheek. "How…dare you…"

"If she screamed she would have brought the pirates back!" Kurt hissed and moved to the wheel. "She's better off now." But his hands were trembling as he started the engine and pulled away from the reef.

Kurt had never hit a woman, never even considered it, but he couldn't handle watching Sydney Fox tortured by that damn drug in her system. Bailey didn't understand a woman like Sydney. He didn't understand her need for strength and control and that being out of control the way she was, even if she wasn't aware of it, would destroy her. Also, it was scaring the hell out of him.

Tia pulled off her thin cotton blouse, exposing a white tank underneath, and dipped it into the passing water, then pressed it to Nigel's throat. "Hold this here," she ordered.

"It's…okay…" He shook his head, his concern only for Sydney.

"It will help with the swelling," Tia insisted and pulled him back to settle on one of the boat seats, then gently wrapped the shirt around his neck. "She could have killed you."

He shook his head again, and winced. "She….would have…stopped." Was that croaking frog him? He winced again. He had to believe that Sydney would have stopped, despite the drugs interference. God, it was like Carson all over again, only so much worse.

He had seen the torment Sydney was going through, even in the dim lighting of the moonlight, but between his own injuries, the fall into the water and her assault he had no energy to do anything but sit and allow Tia to tend to him. He was having a very bad day.

"If I had known you were going to kidnap me, I would have brought some medical supplies," she stated.

"It was…spur of the…moment," he wheezed even as she turned her attention to his side. "You do... good work."

She smiled shyly, pulled a small flash light out of her shorts pocket and carefully eased back his bandage. His stitches held, so she pressed the bandage back then checked his pupils. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Define…" He winced at the light in his eyes. "A lot."

"Do you feel you may vomit?"

"Oh yeah."

"That is a lot."

"Ah." He blinked away the spots and focused on Sydney, she had not moved from where she had fallen. "Excuse me." He managed to rise and, despite the speed that Kurt was pushing the boat to, he found his way over to Sydney and eased himself down beside her, pulling her into his arms and trying to afford her what security he could offer.

"It will be over soon, Syd," he murmured against her hair and found himself suddenly incredibly sleepy. He was so scared for her. So very scared and his anger caused him to lash out at Kurt, despite his injured throat. "Do you know where you're going? We have to get Sydney to a hospital!"

"We'll be there soon," Kurt advised.

There was no further sign of the pirates and the mainland, if he had navigated correctly in the darkness, should be only a few more miles ahead. He wanted to get Sydney to a hospital as well, despite their rough history, he still cared about her.

He allowed his gaze to linger on the pair of them and felt something pierce his heart. Damn. The Englishman did love his Sydney. Perhaps that was best, perhaps it was as it should be.

He turned his gaze back towards the water.


	28. Chapter 28

DISCLAIMER: Relic Hunter Characters do not belong to me. Thanks for all the reviews, I hope you will continue to enjoy and review as this story continues. Nice long chapter.

**CHAPTER 28**

At the hospital, the nurses and doctor listened, assessed the situation and immediately arranged for a saline drip and an isolation room for Sydney.

Nigel offered the syringe so it could be determined what she had been injected with, but was told by all they could really do was hydrate her, watch her vitals closely to be sure she didn't seizure, and wait for the drug to flush through her system.

"What are you doing?" Nigel moved forward as he watched a nurse strap Sydney to the bed. "Don't do that!"

Tia caught his shoulder. "When the drug starts to wear off she will be unpredictable," she explained. "She may hurt herself and others."

He pushed her away and tried to get to Sydney, only to be held back by a doctor and orderly. "Get off me!" Sydney moaned and pulled against the bonds. "You're hurting her!"

The doctor, a short dark skinned man with facial hair and large black rimmed glasses suddenly turned his attention to the Englishman, when he saw blood seeping around the bandage on Nigel's side, along with the bruises on his neck. "You need attention."

"No, I'm fine!"

"Stop fighting or I will have you sedated!"

"Fine!" Nigel stopped struggling and they slowly released him, but the moment they did he darted to Sydney's bed and tried to pull the leather cuffs off her.

"Nigel," she moaned and grasped his hand. "They're coming. Help me…they're coming…"

"I'm right here, Syd." He gripped her hand as he reached across to release the other strap. "It's okay. No one will hurt you, no one will…" The wave of dizziness hit him suddenly and without warning. He grabbed for the end of Sydney's bed in reflex.

Tia and a nurse were beside him instantly. "You must sit!" Tia insisted concerned and turned to the doctor. "He was shot and has lost a good deal of blood."

"He probably needs a transfusion," the doctor began.

"No!" Nigel pulled away from them. "I'm fine. I have to stay with Syd…" Another wave hit him and he felt his limbs to lead. "No…no, Syd…"

The orderly caught him. "Bring him to the next room so I can examine him," the doctor ordered, and then to the nurse. "Bind and watch her."

"Yes, Doctor."

Tia followed the orderly as he carried the unconscious Englishman out into the hall and into another examination room where the doctor appeared a moment later.

"How was he shot?" he demanded.

"I…" Tia wasn't sure what to tell him, fear remained that she would be found by the Captain and taken captive once more. "I do not know. I found them this way."

The doctor did not look like he believed her, but rather than press the matter he turned to Nigel's wound. "There is some seepage, but they are good, clean stitches." He glanced at her. "Did you do this?"

She nodded and bit her lip.

"You have medical training?"

"Will he be all right?"

"I believe so, if we can keep him settled." He took a vial of blood from Nigel's arm and handed it to the nurse. "Confirm his blood type then prepare him for a transfusion." He turned to Tia. "We must report this to the authorities."

Her eyes widened. "I…"

"Unless there is something you wish to tell me."

"Doctor…"

"Ledesma."

"Dr. Ledesma, I cannot tell you anything else."

He stared at her, hard. "Perhaps they can."

He could see her nervousness, the pallor in her cheeks. He knew fear, he'd seen it every day since he had started working at the hospital. Most locals did not trust the authorities. Still, he could allow some time for his patents to recover.

"I will wait a few hours, see how they are doing, but I cannot put it off indefinitely."

Tia sighed with relief. "Thank you."

He nodded and checked Nigel's pupils. "We will do what we can for them."

Nigel awoke almost two hours later and saw Tia sitting beside his bed. He immediately started to sit up and she rose as well, to press her hands to his chest.

"You must rest."

"What happened?

"You fainted from blood loss. They gave you a transfusion, but I have promised the doctor you would remain in bed."

"How long?"

"A couple of hours, but…"

"Why didn't you wake me? I have to be with Sydney!"

"You were bleeding. You are no good to your friend…your wife, if you are dead!"

He tried to push her away but found he was surprisingly weak.

"If you do not lie still they will bind you to the table as well."

"Tia, please, I have to be with her. I…I'll just sit, but please I need…I need…"

Tia's heart went out to him. "I know what it is to be out of control of what happens to you, Nigel, but you must wait."

"What about Sydney? What's happening to her?"

"What always happens with these things, the drugs will wear off and she will feel groggy and dehydrated, and perhaps depressed."

"Is that all?"

"No. If they gave her a constant supply of the drug she may go through withdrawal."

"Oh God!" He lifted his hands to his head, noticed that his wrists had fresh wraps around them.

He couldn't think what Sydney might have to suffer through. He didn't know much about drug withdrawal, but he remembered his alcoholic uncle getting the DT's so badly he was ill for days.

Tia regarded him quietly "Why did you take me with you?"

"I couldn't leave you to them. That's no life for you, Tia."

"I have nowhere else to go. I have no family and soon the police will be here and they will arrest me for being part of the pirate's ring!"

"I…I'll explain. I'll tell them…"

"This is not England! The authorities work for the criminals!"

He shook his head and reached for her hand. "I have a friend, she…she works for Interpol. They can help you."

"I do not understand! We hurt you. We kidnapped you! We…"

He sat up then, relieved when he didn't get dizzy again. "No, they hurt us. They kidnapped us. You helped me. You…tended to me. I…I owe you my life, Tia."

"No. I…I helped you as they bid me to do. I…I helped you only to…to prepare you for sale. I…"

"I don't believe that." He shook his head and caressed her cheek. "I know you have a kind heart. I know you wouldn't have let them…do what they meant to."

"I did! I have. Before!"

"Because you were afraid of them, not because you had a choice."

She stared at him, eyes brimming with tears, and then suddenly she was in his arms. "No…no one has…has ever…cared b…before."

He caressed her hair and held her close. "I care, Tia."

She lifted her tear-stained face to his, and then she kissed him, startled when he gently pulled back. "What is wrong? Is this not what you want? I know you are…are married to the other, but I can be good to you, I can make you feel good and…"

He caught her hands and pulled him away from his chest, gently because he did not intend to hurt her. "That isn't the reason either, Tia."

"You…you said you cared. You said…"

"I do, but not…I don't expect anything from you, except perhaps that you give yourself a chance at a better life."

She shook her head miserably. "I am confused."

"My friend can help you. She can give you the chance to practice medicine and have a life away from all of this."

Tia frowned at him. "What…what would I have to do?"

Nigel knew the score and was honest. "You…you'd probably have to tell her about the others. You'd have to tell her what they've done or more people will be hurt."

She pulled back and shook her head. "They will kill me! They will kill me!"

"My friend will protect you, Tia. I promise, she'll…"

Tia continued to shake her head and backed towards the door. "No! No, I cannot!"

"Tia!" He called after her, sliding off the table and then hissed. He looked down and noticed that he had a bandage wrapped around him to replace the gauze bandage he'd had earlier.

He glanced at the only chair in the room and found a green medical tunic folded on the seat. He slipped it on and stepped into the hall.

There was no sign of Tia and he couldn't afford to chase after her, not until he had seen Sydney at least. He slowly made his way down the corridor, trying not to hold his side and show he was injured.

He found Sydney's room and a sign that said Isolation- Authorized Personnel Only in three languages. He ignored it and pushed inside, causing the nurse that was standing by Sydney's bed to glance over.

"You cannot be in here."

"I'm her…husband," he remembered and pulled a chair over to the bed. "I'll be quiet. I just want to sit with her, please?

"The doctor has ordered her isolated and that includes family members."

"You can't expect me to leave her alone…"

If you do not leave I will have you removed."

Nigel's patience was already at an end. "If you try, I'll lay you flat, my hand to God!"

She scowled at him. "Are...are you threatening me?"

"I am _not_ leaving."

"We have rules here and…"

"Rules?" he snapped. "Lady, in the last two days I was almost buried alive, marooned, shot, kidnapped by pirates with the purpose of being sold into slavery, and had to jump off a bloody boat into a sea known for sharks, while my best friend was drugged and almost raped!" He glared at her. "So if you think for one minute I give a rats arse about your _rules_ you're a bleeding idiot!"

"I will fetch the doctor."

"You do that."

Nigel settled in the chair and reached for Sydney's hand. He wanted to release her bindings, but decided against it, knowing that would put him in even worse graces with the staff.

"Nigel?"

"I'm here, Syd," he said quietly as he rubbed his thumb across her knuckles.

It took Sydney a few tries to focus and she found when she did see Nigel's face clearly it caused such an emotional reaction that she was moved to tears. His eyes were bloodshot, hollow, there were dark circles beneath them and his face was unbelievably pale. He had bruises on his neck a cut on his cheek that had been bandaged and his hair was stiff and dirty with dried mud; despite his dip in the sea.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Had she done this to him? Didn't she always do this to him? Dragging him all over the globe, making him do things he didn't want to do and putting his life in danger. What kind of person was she? All he wanted was a nice little teaching job and she constantly put him situations where he was hurt. "I'm so, so sorry."

"Whatever for?" he asked kindly.

"I…I'm a horrible person. I…you shouldn't be with me."

"That's nonsense, Syd."

She shook her head and looked away ashamed, tried to pull her hand from his, but being bound as she was she did not even have that luxury. She should be bound; she was a monster, an animal! "I don't deserve you." She didn't know where these feelings were coming from, she wasn't usually pessimistic, but found herself fighting against layers of guilt negative thoughts. "I'm nothing. Less than nothing."

"Sydney!" He cried, concerned and rose to stand over her and squeeze her hand harder. "None of that is true!"

"I wish I were dead. I wish you'd never met me."

"Stop saying that!" He caressed her brow and noticed that she was sweating again. "Syd, meeting you was the very best thing that has ever happened to me."

"No. No. I don't do it right. I…I don't take care…" She paused suddenly and looked harder at him. "Nigel?"

"Yes, Syd."

"No….you're not…are you…you're not him!" She couldn't tell! She could always tell Nigel. She knew every inch of his face, each inflection in his voice, the multi-colors of his eyes and yet…something was wrong. "Who are you?"

"I'm me, Syd. Who else would I be?"

The light that was usually in Sydney's eyes had all but vanished and now there was a gleam of anxiety. "Are you? Are you…" She fought against her own doubts and then grew suspicious for doubting herself. "They replaced you. They replaced you! You're not my Nigel!"

"Who are they? Syd?"

She tried to pull at her bonds. "I have to get away! They're coming! They'll replace me too!"

"Sydney! What is wrong?" He thought the drugs would have worked through her system by now. "You're safe. No one is coming to hurt you. You're safe."

"Killers! Killers! They'll replace me, like they replaced you! It's happened before. It's happened before!"

"It's the withdrawal."

Nigel turned and saw Tia in the doorway. He was relieved she had returned, but still didn't understand why Sydney was behaving this way. "I…I thought she would just…be ill or something?"

Tia shook her head, stepped inside and closed the door. She approached Sydney's bed. "They confirmed that it was Ecstasy, and she had a lot in her system. Because it is a drug that affects your behavior and gives an almost euphoric feeling, when you come down from it you get suffer strong feelings opposite to what you feel while on the drug. Depression, anxiety and even paranoia are normal after effects; sometimes they become very emotional to those they are closest to."

Nigel turned back to Sydney again, stunned. "So…the things she's saying…"

"It will pass. She is lucky that it was only a short time, or the effects could sometimes last months."

He didn't want to think of Sydney being this out of sorts for months.

"Nigel?"

He focused his attention on her again as she seemed to settle down again. "Here, Syd."

"Are you my Nigel?"

"Of course I am. Ask me anything and I'll prove it."

Sydney's mind raced with thoughts of guilt and fear, doubt and uncertainty, yet the strongest was love. She loved Nigel, she needed Nigel to be with her now, the real Nigel. What would the real Nigel know? How could she tell? God! Too many thoughts!

"Who….who do I hate?" she managed as her fear started to take over again. "A…above everyone else, who…who will I…I never trust and who…who would I kill if I could?"

"You wouldn't kill anyone," Nigel amended gently. "Not intentionally, but if you're asking who your arch nemesis is, that would be DaViega."

"Who…who am I most afraid of?"

"Carson," he answered without thinking. "But she can't ever hurt you again, Syd."

Her eyes searched his face frantically. He was right, his answers were correct, but still, he could be guessing. They could have researched her enemies. They could have…"

Nigel sensed that he was losing her and tried another route. "We were married in Vegas, you wore a stunning silver and white gown, but you got sick later in the day. Your favorite way to relax is in your Jacuzzi eating ice cream, you hate cockroaches and have a soft spot for cats. Your weakness is cheese cake and strawberries. Your mum passed when you were nine, we'll remember her next April with a tree we plan to plant."

Sydney started to cry again and pulled at her restraints. Nigel glanced at Tia, who was already removing Sydney's bonds. The moment they were off, Sydney threw her arms around her friend.

"It's you," she murmured against his ear. "It's you."

"Yes."

"I love you so much."

"Likewise."

"I…I'm so glad we got married."

He smiled. "Are you?"

"I need you, Nigel." Why was she telling him that? Why was she saying these things? She couldn't seem to stop what was coming out of her mouth. "Promise you'll never leave me?"

"I absolutely promise."

"You're my best friend."

"I know." He caressed her hair affectionately. "Rest, Syd. You're still recovering."

"Will you stay?"

"Of course."

"If they come, don't let them get me, Nigel?"

"I won't Syd."

She suddenly became distraught again. "This is wrong! This is all wrong! I don't deserve your love. I can't keep you. I can't keep anybody. I ruin everything!"

"Ssssh, now."

"I hate my life."

"You love your life."

She met his gaze as he gently wiped at the tears on her cheeks with a tissue that Tia offered him. "I love you."

"Rest, Syd."

"They'll get me!"

"No one will get you. I'm right here and I won't let anyone near you. I promise."

"Don't leave me!"

"Never."

Sydney finally settled and drifted off.

Nigel continued to caress her hair until her breathing evened out, then settled back on his chair, clearly rattled. "I…I've never seen her like this. She is one of the most positive, most…strong-minded people I have ever met."

"Drugs change a person's perceptions," Tia reasoned.

Nigel smiled at her, grateful for her support. "I'm glad you came back."

"I…I was worried for you."

"Won't you please reconsider letting my friend help you?"

She shrugged. "You do not know anything about me. I do not understand why it is so important to you."

"I know you're afraid of going back to them," he stated quietly. "I suspect they hurt you and I wish I could change that, but I can't. Anymore that I can change what Sydney's going through. I am willing to help, Tia, and I hope you will accept that."

She regarded him for several minutes. "You…you wish to know why I was there? Why I…stayed?"

"No, not if you don't want to tell me."

Another hesitation. "How is your side?"

"Sore, but manageable."

"You should eat something." She touched her hand to his forehead. "No fever, but you need liquids and sustenance."

He offered her a sad smile and caught her hand to kiss the back of her knuckles. "Thank you for staying with me, Tia."

She smiled shyly, then moved the door. "I will find you something to eat."

Nigel stayed with Sydney, ignoring the doctor's interruption and instance he return to his room. He sat through the changing of Sydney's drips and checking of her vitals, through hours of watching her sweat, vomit and run the emotional gauntlet of emotions.

And when the pain of the withdrawals hit, his heart broke as she pleaded for him to help her, knowing that he couldn't. There was nothing he could do but watch, and wait, and hope she came out the other side, as his Sydney.

He lost track of the time, the hours that he sat there, watching, waiting and trying to comfort Sydney when he could, however he could. Tia came in and sat with him often, made sure he ate and kept fluids in him.

The police had attended and Nigel gave a statement, leaving out Tia's involvement beyond saying she was a friend. They said they would return when Sydney had fully recovered and could be questioned, but Nigel had no faith that anything else would be done to find the pirates.

He had given Tia the key to their hotel room and she had gone back to retrieve their bags, and then he made use of the Nurse's shower and changed into clean clothes. He contacted the American and British Embassy and advised that their passports had identification had been stolen. Sydney's had been in her satchel and his in his trouser's pocket. They had both learned to keep their ID with them in case they had to leave quickly. He hated that the pirates had made off with Sydney's satchel, which included her beloved crossbow, but there was little that could be done about it.

The doctor's stopped trying to get him to rest or leave the room and instead came in every few hours just to check his injuries, then left him alone. The nurses took pity on him and brought him coffee and a cot to sleep on, though he never used it.

Most of the time he remained seated by Sydney's bed, patient and vigilant, feeling if he couldn't go through the horrible experience with her, he could at least stay awake to watch over her as she went through it alone.

Finally, her vitals and emotions seemed to stabilize and they moved her to a ward room, where there were three other people. One of the nurses pulled the privacy curtain around the bed and smiled at Nigel.

"Thank you Leah," he offered kindly as he took his place in the chair.

"You're welcome, Nigel." Leah checked Sydney's IV was still in place and had not slipped out during the move from downstairs. "Would you like me to bring you something to eat?"

"No, thank you." He paused and ran his hands over his face. "What day is it?'

"Sunday."

God, had they really been there over a week?

"There is a gentleman here to see you. Will I show him in?"

"No, I'll come out." It could be the police again and he didn't want them disturbing Sydney.

"I'll be right back," he said to the sleeping Sydney and kissed her forehead, then to Leah. "Can you…?"

She smiled and nodded. "I'll stay until you come back."

"Thank you." He stepped into the hall and headed for the nurses station, then suddenly halted when he spotted Agent Tuttle waiting for him. His hearing! He'd completely forgotten about it.

"Mr. Bailey?" The agent nodded solemnly.  
"Agent. W…what are you doing here?"

"I was concerned when you missed your hearing. I contacted your office and Ms. Petrusky advised me of what happened. Also I was advised of your location when you placed the call about your missing passports."

Sydney would be so upset after everything she had gone through to keep him in the country that he would probably now be deported. "I was…held up."  
"I can see that." Tuttle nodded, his eagle eye taking into account the bandages on Nigel's wrists, the bruising and the dark shadows beneath the Englishman's eyes. "May I see Professor Fox?"

"She's sleeping. I'd prefer not to disturb her."

"I see. I was very sorry to hear about your ordeal."

"Thank you."

Tuttle had been fully briefed by the doctors of everything that Nigel had gone through to save his employer…his wife. One thing he had noticed from his interviews in the last few months, there was no shortage of supporters for this young couple.

"How is she doing?"

"They drugged her, a lot. She's recovering, but it's taking a while to work out of her system."

Tuttle knew that too, he also knew, according to the doctors, when a patient was going through withdrawal only medical staff was permitted on hand. That rule had been overridden because Nigel Bailey refused to leave his wife's side and threatened violence to anyone who tried to force him out. Never had he seen a man so devoted.

"If you've come to take me back to London you'll just have to wait. I'm not going anywhere until I know Sydney is okay."

"If I were here for that, there would be two security guards to escort you to the airport, Mr. Bailey."

"Then why are you here?"

Tuttle opened his briefcase pulled out a manila envelope and handed to Nigel.

Nigel accepted it and let his hand drop back to his side as he cast a glance towards Sydney's room. Was she awake? Did she need him?

"Aren't you going to open it?" Tuttle asked, surprised.

"It can wait." Everything would wait until Sydney was fully recovered. "If you don't mind, I'd like to get back to Sydney…"

"I think you should open it, Mr. Bailey."

Another glance down the hall had Nigel turning and moving towards the isolation room. "Fine, but I need to check on her."

Tuttle followed quietly. When they entered the room they found Sydney awake and Leah talking quietly to her. Nigel tossed the envelope on Sydney's side locker and immediately took Sydney's hand.

"Nigel?"

"Right here, Syd."

"Nigel…What…" Sydney moaned. "Where are we?"

"We're in the hospital."

Sydney scowled at him, "You...look like crap."

He half laughed, half sobbed in relief, there she was; his Sydney. He wanted to crush her to him and never let her go; that alarmed him enough that he had to take a moment to respond. "You're no...Prom Queen yourself at the moment."

"I...I can't remember, Nigel. What happened?"

"We were kidnapped, by pirates."

Sydney slowly recalled the island, and Kurt and then...gunfire. Nigel! Nigel had been shot! "You're hurt!" She started to sit up and immediately thought she would pass out again.

"Easy," he gently pushed her back onto the bed. "I'm fine. You're fine. We're all fine now."

Sydney stared up at him, his voice was thicker, deeper than usual and she knew he was struggling for composure. She saw the bruises on his neck, that was just beginning to fade and she reached up to touch them. "What..."

He caught her hand and trapped it between both of his. "I'm fine."

"Stop saying that, you sound like a parrot." She glanced over his shoulder and saw the little man standing there, holding his hat in his hands. "Agent Tuttle! Why…" Her eyes widened in horror. "The hearing! We missed it! Oh God, what did I do? Why didn't I…"

"Sssh," Nigel shook his head. "Forget about that…"

"Are they going to deport you?" She glared at Tuttle. "You can't take him…"

"Sydney, calm down or they'll have to sedate you."

"But…"

"We'll work it out later. Right now you are the priority, okay?"

"Actually, Mrs. Bailey, although your husband has yet to open the documents I've presented him, his Visa was approved."

"It was?" Nigel asked, stunned.

Tuttle nodded. "Yes. When you didn't show for the hearing they of course rejected the proposal automatically. We contacted your office, as we could not reach you by other means, and were advised of the situation. That aside, the committee still had to rule to revoke your passport, until we received a call from your father, Mrs. Bailey."

"Mine?" Sydney asked confused. "Why was my father calling you?"

"He didn't just call, he demanded an immediate meeting with the judge, myself and the head of immigration." Tuttle brushed imaginary lint off his jacket. "It seems Mr. Fox is as tenacious as his daughter."

Sydney smiled affectionately. "He doesn't take no for an answer." She immediately thought of her time in China with him, looking for the Jade Empress.

"That much was obvious. Your father has friends in very high places, Mrs. Bailey. Between his, shall we say petition, and the completed reviews of our other agents, as well as interviews with your friends and colleagues Mr. Bailey's Visa was fully approved."

Both Nigel and Sydney sighed in relief.

"Thank you for coming to tell us," Nigel offered kindly.

"I didn't come just for that," Tuttle advised. "I also brought you your new passports, so you may return home at your leisure."

"That's wonderful! Thank you so much!"

Tuttle smiled, for the first time. "It has been my pleasure, truly, and if either of you find yourselves in need of such assistance again, please call me."

"We appreciate that." Nigel stepped forward and shook his hand. "Actually, there might be something you can help me with."

"Oh?"

"Yes, but I'd like to discuss it later if we can." He wanted time alone with Sydney. "Could you come back in about an hour or so?"

"Certainly, I'll head out for a bite and then come back to see you about it."  
"Thank you, again, Agent Tuttle," Sydney offered as the agent headed out.

Nigel watched the man leave, then pulled the curtain around Sydney's bed and finally gave in to his need, throwing his arm around her and holding her tight. "I thought I'd lost you!" he moaned and, now that the threat of it was over, allowed himself to think what he would do if she had died of an overdose. He allowed his anguish at her earlier depressed state and urgent dependency to surface. "I thought…"

"I saw you go down," she whispered and clung to him, as her memory slowly slipped back into place. "They shot you and you went down and I...I went crazy and then..." She struggled to fill in the gaps. "They...they brought us onto a ship, they...I was in a room and I hurt one of them, bad, because they wouldn't let me see you and then... "

She shook her head and pulled back to look at him, and realized right then and there, as she stared into those shimmering hazel eyes that, that beautiful, familiar pale face, that she loved him as a man. As a woman, she loved him.

"All I could think about was you, getting to you, and then...then they gave me something."

He nodded and held her hands to his chest. "We believe it was a really strong form of ecstasy."

"Nigel...Did I...Did I do anything...?"

"No. No, you were...I got you here, then you...you just had to wait it out." Which had been the most horrible experience of his life. "Oh, Syd, I couldn't do anything for you. It was hell, watching you...watching you fight that demon. You were like...like a person possessed." Not at all like the vibrant, confidant cheerful woman he adored.

She sat up enough so she could hold him again and squeezed her eyes shut at the tremble in those wonderful arms that tightened around her. "I'm here now," she whispered. "I'm me again."

Yes, she loved him. Nigel Bailey was The One and her heart both laughed and wept with the knowledge.

Nigel pulled back, appalled to see two large tears sliding down Sydney's cheeks, and as they fell a piece of his heart went with them. Oh, not again!

"Oh God." He immediately checked his trouser pockets, but he had nothing, then grabbed a box of tissues from the small locker by the bed. "Don't...don't start that..." After so many hours of watching her cry and despair, he just couldn't handle it anymore and practically shoved the tissues at her. "I'm fine. You...you're…we...we're all...we're all fine and...and good...God, please stop."

She released a shaky laugh, as she wiped at her eyes. His ineptness only made her love him more. "Sorry."

"Yes, yes...that's better, ha ha, it's all very funny. We survived kidnapping by pirates. "He raised his hands over his head." Yay! Let's give a cheer, pip-pip and all that."

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, in the sweetest most loving kiss she could manage, free of pressure, passion or intent, but full of sincerity, adoration and love, then sat back and met his startled gaze.

It took Nigel several seconds and two throat clearings to find his voice. "W...what was that for?"

"Just because."

"Oh." He wet his lips and struggled for something else to say. He had never been kissed quite like that before and it did something to him, he wasn't quite sure what.

"One thing I don't understand is how Dad got involved in your hearing?"

"I…I called him when we got here, Syd," Nigel admitted. "I had to let him know what had happened to you."

"Nigel! You shouldn't have done that! He would have been worried!"

"Of course he was, Syd, he's your father and he wanted to fly out here immediately, but I told him you were being treated and there was nothing he could do by being here." He paused. "I'm not sure how he knew about the hearing though."

"I sent him an email before we left," Sydney admitted. "I guess he just took matters into his own hands after that."

Dr. Ledesma and Leah slipped inside the curtain.

"How are you feeling Ms. Fox?"

"Bailey," she corrected and winked slyly at Nigel. "Mrs. Bailey."

"Oh? I need to check you out and confirm you are on the mend and then perhaps..." The doctor paused and glared at Nigel. "I'll get this idiot to lay down for a few hours and sleep."

"Have you been abusing yourself on my behalf again, Nigel?' Sydney asked as the doctor checked her blood pressure. She watched him flush and scratch his head, but surprisingly didn't respond.

"He threatened to knock out one of our nurses," Leah stated, smiling.

Sydney's eyes widened as a light was flashed in her eyes. "Nigel!"

"I...It...you don't understand the...they wouldn't...She wouldn't let me stay, Syd!"

"You fainted because you were bleeding all over my clean hospital floor," the Dr. Ledesma tossed. "You should have been in bed."

Sydney's humor faded. "Bleeding?" She pushed the physician away from her. "Why were you bleeding? You said you were fine! Bleeding isn't fine!"

Nigel glared at the medical team. "I _am_ fine..."

"Let me see. Show me, right now!"

Nigel struggled to control his irritation at being ratted out and scolded in the same few minutes and lifted his shirt to show the clean white dressing that covered his wound that had been changed just yesterday. "There, it's a scrape. I hardly felt anything and I'm fine now."

When he lifted his shirt, Sydney finally noticed the bandages around his wrists and grabbed them. "What's this? Where did this come from?"

"I...Will you please tell her I'm fine?" he glanced helplessly at the medical team, watched them cross their arms over their chests and stare right back, no doubt punishing him for giving them a hard time.

"Nigel!"

"It's nothing! I...I was shackled, that's all and I...I tried to get out of them. It just scraped my skin, is all..."

Sydney lost all the color in her cheeks. "Shackled? They had you chained?"

"I don't want to talk about that." He knew that look and quickly cut her off. "It's over, Syd. I'm had far worse injuries on a hunt and...and we're safe now, so it doesn't matter."

"And who did this to you?" She touched his neck. "Did they do this to you?"

"No."

"Then who? Who did it?' She wanted to kill someone and she would. She would find every single one of those damn pirates and kill them. The fact that she was physically moved to such violence proved that she truly loved him.

"Syd, please..."

Now the doctor and nurse started to feel uneasy, they hadn't meant to upset the patient. "Ms. Fox..."

"Bailey, damn it!" she growled and held onto Nigel's wrists. "Tell me who did that to your neck?"

"It doesn't matter..."

"Tell me!"

"You did!" It was out before he could help it, because she was hurting his wrists and the pain forced him to snap.

What color Sydney had left faded away as she slumped back on the bed.

"You didn't know what you were doing, Sydney!" Nigel quickly insisted. You were drugged and didn't realize who I was. You thought I was going to hurt you."

Sydney stared at the curtain, unable to look at Nigel anymore. She'd hurt him and suddenly she realized she was always hurting him, in some way or another. Shoving him around, grabbing him, throwing him out of airplanes or taking him to places where he could get beat up or shot at.

She lowered her lashes and peeked at him rubbing his wrists, she'd hurt him there too. What was wrong with her?

"Sydney." He sat on the bed as the doctor and nurse discretely left. "Please look at me?"

She refused and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't do this. It wasn't your fault. It was the drugs, Syd." He touched her arm. "Please?"

She'd hurt him but couldn't deny him and so she met his gaze.

"It wasn't your fault."

"I could have killed you."

"No."

"Yes, Nigel! I could have..."

He caught her face in his hands. "No, Syd."

His belief in her was unmatched and she had to close her eyes and briefly thank whatever deity might be listening for sending him to her.

She pulled him into her arms needing to know he was safe and whole, needing his strength and faith to push her through this sudden horrible guilt. "I love you."

"Likewise."

She pulled back enough to look at him, wondering if that were true, if he loved her as she now loved him. She searched his eyes, looking for anything that would give her the truth.

"What's wrong?" he asked, when she continued to stare at him. "Syd?"

She shook her head and pulled away. "I just want to go home."

"Soon," he promised with a smile.


	29. Chapter 29

DISCLAIMER: Relic Hunter was not my brilliant idea I take no ownership for it. I think our heroes deserve a little break after the last few chapters, so for a little while there will be, friendship, drama and maybe a touch of romance. Possibly some conflict as well, let's see how it goes….Please enjoy.

**CHAPTER 29**

Sydney sighed as they entered her loft apt, dropped her bags at the door and then crouched to pick up the fur ball that rushed at her. "I missed you!" she said as she cuddled and stroked the cat, causing Maftet to purr loudly. "We didn't mean to be away so long."

Nigel smirked and closed the loft door, offering Maftet a quick ear scratch before setting his bag by the counter and heading upstairs.

Sydney carried her cat over to the kitchen and searched her cupboards for a treat. She found a can of salmon and quickly opened it, then scooped it into a small saucer and set the cat on the counter, watching her gobble it up.

"Were you good for Mrs. Anderson?" she asked the cat as she stroked the animals back. "Or did you pee in my favorite shoes?"

Maftet meowed as if offended, and then returned to her salmon as Sydney grabbed her bag and wandered upstairs.

She paused at the top of the stairs when she saw Nigel packing clothes into his suitcase. "What are you doing?"

"Clearing out my things," he replied as he disappeared into her closet and returned with a few of his shirts. "You'll be relieved to have the closet back, I expect."

Sydney felt her stomach drop into feet and struggled not to panic. "I…you…Why are you doing that now?"

"Why not?" He carefully folded his shirt and set it inside then reached for another. "My Visa is approved, so there shouldn't be anymore unexpected visits."

Sydney set her bag by the bed, then settled upon it, facing him. "There's no rush, Nigel. I mean, it's been a hell of a week. Why don't we just take some down time and relax?"

"I think you'll be able to relax far easier once you have your loft to yourself, Syd." He returned to her closet and pulled out his underwear and socks from the drawers. His eyes lingered on the black dress hanging in the closet, the one she wore the night they had made…He winced again. "Sex! Had sex, damn it all to hell!"

"What was that?" Sydney called from the bedroom.

He took a deep breath and walked out. "I just said I am looking forward to being in my own place again, not that it hasn't been fun staying here, but, well, sometimes one needs a little solidarity."

Sydney felt as if she had been punched in the gut and the feeling worsened with each item he placed in his suitcase. She felt a panic rising inside of her and suddenly slapped the top of the bag closed, almost catching Nigel's fingers.

"Syd!"

"Stay?" she asked quietly. "I…I don't want to be alone, Nigel."

"Are you not feeling well?" he asked, concerned. "The doctors said…"

She shrugged. "I…I just don't feel totally…right yet." She hated lying to him, but what other option did she have? She didn't want him to leave. She didn't want things to go back to the way they were before, where they only saw each other while working and she had meaningless affairs with men that were completely wrong for her.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged again and stared at the pattern on her duvet rather than meet his gaze. "Will you stay?"

"Of course." He nodded. "It can wait until Monday…" She lifted her head and stared at him with such stark panic that he quickly revised his offer. "Or…or whenever you're feeling better."

"Thanks." She wanted to hug him and had to work hard to suppress the urge, wishing she could judge what he was feeling and if he would welcome it. Sometimes his emotions were freely expressed, other times he was closed off, even to her.

This was one of those times and it concerned her that he felt the need to do that; after everything they had been through. She'd always been able to tell what Nigel was thinking, mostly, but with these new feelings of hers, she couldn't be sure if the feelings she was picking up from him were real or just a manifestation of what she was desperate to see.

Before they had left for that cursed island, Nigel commented that he was second guessing their embraces, and she knew he had the right too. She did touch him more often than she used to and she needed to get a handle on that. She wanted him to be comfortable with her again and stop doubting her reasons for affection.

Nigel turned away from Sydney's gaze and tried to push down the feeling of discomfort that crawled its way up his spine. He'd thought about what to do once they were back, many hours on the plane home gave him plenty of time to think, and it seemed good sense to pack up and move back to his flat. They both needed some normalcy back in their life and that would be the easiest way to induce it.

He and Sydney had been getting along fairly well the last few months, and while he had moments of annoyance and feeling hampered, overall it had been a good experience. Sydney was his best friend and they'd been through a lot together, but he needed to put their living together into the proper perspective, including their sexual activity.

It was the circumstances that caused their recent closeness and mutual need. It didn't mean anything, _couldn't_ mean anything. The fact that she wanted him to stay, despite the resolution of his deportation issue, had to be due to her experience with the pirates.

But, Sydney never had residual issues after a hunt, regardless of what happened, but naming the drugs and trauma as the cause for her sudden craving for comfort was better than the alternative. There could be nothing more than that, not with Sydney.

He had spoken with Tuttle regarding Tia and the agent had arranged for papers for the young doctor to get her out of the country and a temporary visa based on her medical skills. Tia finally agreed to meet with Interpol, so the young woman flew back to the states with them, until they heard back from Cate.

He'd had to explain to Sydney who Tia was, and as usual Sydney welcomed her as a friend. They had stopped at the office first thing upon their return and explained the situation to Karen as well, who kindly offered to let the young woman stay at her apartment, at least while her brother was out of town, and to show her around the university.

Nigel had hoped he would be back in his apartment before Cate showed up, otherwise they would have to explain their marriage, which he really didn't want to do. Not that he was ashamed of it, he just didn't want any more people involved in the illegal farce he and Sydney had perpetrated.

Sydney suddenly rose. "I need a bath," she decided and after only a moment's hesitation. "Care to join me?"

He blinked in surprise. Did her offer mean that she wanted to continue their new 'benefits'? He thought about the last time, how amazing it had been with Sydney, how he felt things he'd never felt with another woman, and that thought alone frightened him.

It was better to decline and walk away before things got complicated, as they were bound to do, and yet…He had seen Sydney naked, had touched her in ways he had never imagined and wanted to do again.

He bit his lip in indecision. He should say no. If he was any kind of gentleman, if he had any respect for their friendship, he would say no.

Imagine his surprise when he opened his mouth and said. "Okay."

Sydney beamed at him as and headed into the bathroom. "It's almost lunch time, why don't you order us some food and have it delivered in about an hour, while I start the bath?"

"Sure, Syd." He watched her disappear into the bathroom and immediately dropped down on the bed, appalled. "You unconscionable wanker!" he cursed himself. He didn't want to take a bloody bath with Sydney! Well, he did, but he shouldn't want to and that was the point of it, wasn't it?

What if she had more than getting clean on her mind? "Please God let her have more on her mind…" He slapped himself, hard. "Stop it!" He'd just have to tell her he changed his mind, won't he? Yes, that's…no, Sydney's feelings might be hurt if he said no now. She'd demand a reason, she could be very demanding, even when it came to sex, oh yes she could.

Sydney appeared in the doorway of the bathroom, in just her bra and thong, the sound of running water could be heard behind her. "Bubbles or oil?"

"I…I…er…" Tell her! Say no thank you. Do it! "W…whatever you like, Syd." Coward! Rat Bastard! Villainess scoundrel!

Sydney saw him wince and, misunderstanding the cause, walked over to him. "Do you need me to help you off with your shirt?" She started to unfasten the buttons of his black top. "Is your side hurting?"

"N…no." He started to raise his hands to stop her and then…didn't. She was standing so close with barely a hair's breath of fabric preventing him from seeing her completely naked and damn if he wasn't already fully aroused. "S…Syd, maybe…um… I…I'm not sure…"

She paused at the very last button, her fingers barely an inch from his tented trousers. "You don't want to?"

"I do! I…" God did he ever! "I…I'm just not…not sure if…if we…um…should."

"Should what? Have a bath?"

"T…together. Have one…um…together. I…It could…might lead to…other…" He caught her hands, needing to pull them up and away from such a sensitive area. "I mean…with…since we don't have to…to…pretend anymore…"

"Pretend?" Sydney snatched her hands away. "Is that what you were doing?"

"Not with that!" he quickly assured. "I…not…not when we were…um…together, Syd, I…that was….there was no pretence there. It was…fantastic and…and real and…"

"And?" she pressed, gently, seeing his anxiety.

"Addicting," he muttered and lowered his eyes, ashamed. That was the heart of it, really. He knew that he'd never want to stop if they took up again.

Claudia had once told him he was too clingy when it came to women, and perhaps she had been right, because beyond the need to keep Sydney safe, he found that he also wanted to spend more time with her, the way he once yearned to be with Cate. That compulsion hit him hard at the hospital and that need, that obsession alarmed him, because he had no right to feel it towards his employer and best friend.

Atop that, he couldn't stop wondering if their one time progression to sex would be repeated, and if so, when and how often and what would that mean for them? He wasn't regretting it, per-se, but he was reevaluating it. He felt lecherous for even considering a repeat performance, this was his friend, his partner, and yet…He couldn't stop wishing for it either.

He couldn't get that kiss Sydney gave him at the hospital out of his mind. There was something in the way she had taken possession of his lips and yet seemed to give so much back…Something had him on edge and he couldn't quite put his finger on why. It had been a wonderful kiss, stolen his breath in a way that was unique, and yet; there was something…frightening about it. He didn't think staying here, sleeping in the same bed or having sex was a good idea anymore, and still…here he was.

Sydney caught his chin and tilted it up until their gazes met. She could see the turmoil in his eyes, in the way he flexed his fingers at his sides. Indecision, doubt and desire were all written on his face and while she yearned to reveal her feelings and begin a new relationship with him, she could see that he wasn't ready for her confession.

He obviously trusted her with his life, but his heart was another matter. She would need to gain his confidence first, if she was to tell Nigel she loved him, and she would need to break it to him very, very gently.

"Why don't you order some food," she began softly and leaned in to kiss his forehead. "Then you can come in and wash my back, if you want to." She paused and then added. "It's just a bath, Nigel."

"O…Okay." He visibly relaxed in relief. "I…I'd like that, Syd." Washing her back did not necessarily lead to sex, he could do that. He could enjoy that and not feel ashamed for feeling more than he should."

"Great." She released him and turned back to the washroom, then paused at the doorway and cast him a playful look. "But if you change your mind and want more, I can recommend a wonderful twelve-step program for such an addition."

He smiled and watched her step inside and close the door.

Instead of unpacking, he closed his suitcase and set it against the wall. He wouldn't mind a shower, and a shave, but figured he'd wait until she was done. He picked up the phone extension in the bedroom and blanked on the number he had been about to dial, because he immediately pictured Sydney, naked and surrounded by bubbles.

"Stop it!" he told himself and dialed a local pizza place. He ordered a large pie the way she preferred it, then retrieved his back pack and pulled out his dirty clothes.

As he was tossing his cargos into the hamper, something fell out onto the floor. He crouched and picked it up. Sydney's ring! He'd forgotten he'd had it in his pocket. She hadn't seemed to notice it was missing, or perhaps had assumed it was taken by the pirates and she couldn't get it back.

Before he could consider the consequences, he walked over and knocked on the bathroom door. "Syd?"

"Just a sec!"

He heard the water stop and the light sound of splashing.

"Come in!"

"I…I just…I have something…" Would she even want it back now that their marriage would be dissolved soon? Both of their wedding bands had not been recovered but it didn't really worry either of them, although Nigel still missed having a ring on his finger sometimes. "Never mind, I'll leave it on your dresser."

He suddenly heard a thunk and Sydney cry out. "Syd! Are you okay?" Silence. Had she fallen in the tub and hurt herself? "I'm coming in!" He pushed open the door and groaned inwardly.

Sydney lay in her antique claw foot tub, up to her neck in bubbles, with flickering candles that adorned the shelf above the tub and sink area. A delicious scent of lavender tickled the air, so she had added oil and bubbles to the water. It was a blissfully romantic scene and it stirred something in Nigel that he didn't recognize; more than desire, more than embarrassment.

"Um…Are you okay?"

"Fine, I dropped a bottle," she replied smiling, neglecting to mention that she had dropped it on purpose, as she waved him closer. "What did you have for me?"

"Oh…" God, he wanted to climb in there with her, knowing her skin would be soft and wet and… He shook his head clear and lowered his eyes to the floor. "Just…um…" He moved forward and held out her rose ring, watched her eyes widen in surprise. "This."

Sydney's eyes watered of their own accord. "You…you saved my ring from the pirates?"

"Actually you did, you…" He was startled by her reaction and his discomfort level grew. He didn't usually feel this uncomfortable around Sydney and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why he was now. "I…I think one of them was wearing it and you pulled…It was in my pocket and I…well, anyway, here."

Sydney started to sit up and lift her hand so he could put it on her, but was startled when he stumbled back. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Um…wouldn't you rather wait until you're out of the…the water?"

"No." She held out her hand. "Put it on, please?"

How could he refuse? Taking a deep breath he walked over, kept his eyes firmly on her left hand and tried to ignore her exposed flesh as it lay amongst the teasing bubbles.

Slowly, he slid the ring over her third finger and something inside his heart gave way causing a sudden weakness in his legs. "I'm sorry about the rest, Syd," he offered as he dropped to one knee beside the tub. He realized how it looked, but the alternative was falling down in front of her. Perhaps he was still exhausted from his ordeal? "Your other ring, your satchel and crossbow."

She captured his hand and squeezed it. "They're just things, Nigel. We're here, safe and sound, and that's all that matters."

"Yes, still. You loved that crossbow."

I love you more, she wanted to say, but instead picked up her bath scrubby and handed it to him. "Wash my back?"

He nodded and accepted the task, watching her lean forward against her knees so her back was exposed. He added some body wash to the scrubby and gently ran it over her back, trying not to think of anything but the idea of getting her clean.

"Feels good," she sighed. "I have a back scrubber, but I can never seem to reach properly to do a good job."

"It is difficult sometimes," he agreed quietly as he continued to lather her back and shoulders, careful not to go below the waterline at her waist. "I had a mate in university that rigged up several scrub brushes on a plank, and then nailed it to the shower stall wall if our room." Nigel grinned at the memory. "He said he got the idea from watching bears in the forest."

"Sounds like a genius."

"He was an idiot." Nigel smiled. "But he had moments of sheer brilliance."

"Did you ever use his invention?"

"No, he was far taller than I so the brushes would only have been hitting me about the head."

Sydney laughed as he handed her back the scrub brush. "Well, I like your method much better."

He returned her smile for a moment, before he started to rise.

Sydney covered his hand with hers, stopping his ascent. "I'd really like to wash your back, Nigel."

"Me too," he whispered, and then almost immediately pulled back. "I…I mean…I…I should…the food…"

"Can wait." She slid her back against the tub and smiled. "Let's let Calgon take us both away for awhile."

He hesitated, and then pulled off his shirt. Damn it, why shouldn't he? She made it so inviting and she obviously wanted him in there with her. Any other man wouldn't have held out this long and he was a fool to consider saying no. And yet, he still had to ask, because this was Sydney. "Are…are you sure?"

"No."

His eyebrows rose. "Really?"

"No." She held out her hand. "Get in here."

He smiled before he could help it, disrobed and shyly stepped in front of her, before sliding into the hot, sweet smelling water. "I think the hair has just burned off my legs."

She giggled. "I like the smooth look on you."

"Don't get any ideas."

"You have better legs than some women I know, Nigel."

"I am absolutely not shaving them again, no matter how much flattery you throw at me."

Sensing he was relaxing despite himself, Sydney playfully scooped up two handfuls of bubbles and applied them over his nipples until it looked like he had small white breasts. "There, now your modesty is protected."

"And my masculinity is out the window." He splashed the bubbles off. "Besides, that's hardly the area I'm worried about."

Sydney peeked over his shoulder towards his lap. "I can't see anything else." She blew at the bubbles surrounding his waist. "I can huff and puff…"

He snickered and put his hand over her mouth. "Stop it."

"Mean little piggy." She wrapped her legs around him from behind and pulled him back against her chest. "This movie moment is brought to you by Pretty Woman."

Nigel tensed slightly at the distinct feel of her naked body against his, but then almost immediately relaxed at the feel of her scrubby moving deliberately over his chest. "Does that mean you'll pay me three grand to stay the week and buy me an entire new wardrobe?"

"Were the sales people mean to you when you went shopping?"

"Complete bitches."

"Aww." Sydney laughed, relieved that he was at ease again. "Do you want the fairytale, Nige?"

"Absolutely." He sighed, heavily and idly lifted her arm to compare it to the length of his own, they were almost identical in lengthy and width. "But I'm too realistic to expect it."

"How do you know some woman isn't going to appear and sweep you off your feet?"

He shook his head. "It's the man that does the sweeping."

"Nigel!" Sydney pinched him. "Have I taught you nothing?"

"Ow! Yes! To stay within arms reach of your bloody fingers." He rubbed his arm, disgruntled, and then sighed as she started massaging his shoulders. He could hardly believe he was sitting, well, more lying really, in a bubble bath with Sydney, both of them completely naked, and having just a normal, friendly conversation.

"You know, the Romans and Greeks may have indeed been onto something with this communal bathing thi…" His words were cut off as Sydney pushed him forward and dunked his head beneath the water. "Oy!" He sputtered as he surfaced and wiped at his eyes. "What the hell?"

She laughed as she poured some shampoo into her hand and started massaging it into his scalp. "Don't be such a baby."

"If I were an infant that would have drowned me!"

She grinned and lathered his head, then in a moment of devilment pushed his hair together to make a mohawk in the center of his scalp. "I think this could be a new style for you."

Nigel quickly flatted the hairstyle. "I think not."

"Chicken." Sydney continued to wash his hair, enjoying the texture of it, the feel of it between her fingers and she heard him moan in contentment as he leaned back against her again. "Like that?"

"Yes."

"It's my favorite part when I go to the salon, having my hair washed."

"It feels lovely," he agreed and leaned his head back against her shoulder. "I can see why you go so often."

"You want another pinch?"

"No thank you." He opened his eyes and found her staring down at him, smiling. "Hi."

"Hi." Sydney couldn't resist, she had to tilt her head down and touch her lips to his. She watched his eyes close before hers followed, as their mouths moved in slow, sweet unison to the beat of their own hearts, until the sound of Sydney's intercom caused them to pull away.

"The food," Nigel murmured as his eyes fluttered open and he started to rise, but Sydney pulled herself up first and grabbed the robe from the hook on the door.

"Rinse your hair, I'll get it." Sydney slid into the robe, cinched it and hurried out.

Nigel was disappointed when his view of her amazing body was filtered by the fabric, and absently touched his lips, where hers had been moments before. God, how he enjoyed kissing her. Too much really. Far too much.

With a deep sigh, he plugged his nose, closed his eyes and leaned back to submerge himself beneath the water. Then he sat up, shook the water from his face and reluctantly rose from the tub.

He quickly dried off and wrapped a towel around his waist, before reaching in to remove the plug from the tub and drain the water. Picking up a comb from the shelf on the sink, he pulled his hair back from his face, and suddenly realized, he'd just had a bath with a beautiful woman and it hadn't led to sex. They'd shared a lovely kiss, but nothing else. What did that mean, exactly?

As he stepped into the bedroom, Sydney appeared at the top of the stairs with the pizza, a six pack of beer and two DVDs under her arm. "Where'd that come from?" he asked of the beer.

Sydney grinned and crawled onto the bed. "My hidden stash," she replied as she popped the tab on two of the cans and handed him one. 'I thought we'd chil-lax with pizza, beer and movies for the rest of the day."

"Sounds lovely." He set his beer on the right side night table and moved to pick up his case.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed."

"Oh, well, just put on your PJ bottoms or something, we're supposed to be chillin'."

He pulled out the pants to one of his sets and slipped them on, before removing the towel. "What are we watching?" he asked as he settled on his side of the bed…He paused as he wondered when had he started thinking that he owned a side of Sydney's bed?

"CHUD and Lethal Weapon." Sydney remained in her robe as she slid one of the DVD's into the player beneath her television, then returned to her bed, stretched out her legs and grabbed a slice of pizza from the box. "I'm in the mood for old school."

"CHUD?" he asked reaching for the case, his eyes widening at the title. "Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers?" He scoffed. "Is this actually a movie?"

"It's great cheese, you'll like it." She adjusted the pillows behind her, then hit play and took a bite of her pizza. "I saw this when I was in college, it was awesome."

He shook his head and reached for a piece of pizza. "Was this during your cheerleading phase?"

"Shut up."

"When am I going to see pictures?"

"Never."

"Why?" He grinned impishly. "I'll bet you were an adorable cheerleader."

Sydney growled at him as the movie music started. "The discussion is closed." She glanced over as he snuggled against the pillows, more laying than sitting, crossed his ankles and bit into his pizza. "Now, hush and watch the movie."

"Yes, ma'am."

Sydney grinned and let herself become engrossed in the movie, however, they were barely halfway in, when she glanced across again and found Nigel sound asleep. Her heart melted, thinking of all he had gone through to save her. She lowered the volume on the television, carefully rose and put the remaining pizza on her dresser, then stepped into her closet to retrieve an afghan and gently covered the Englishman.

She couldn't resist kissing him on the forehead. "Sweet dreams," she whispered, smiling when he moaned a little in his sleep and a tiny smile formed on his lips. She regarded him, thoughtfully and was a little amazed by it all.

They'd survived marriage, albeit one of convenience, kidnapping, drugs, pirates and even a bubble bath together and came out relatively unscathed. She realized that had this been any other man lying in her bed after a playful, slightly sensuous bath, they would have already had sex; but not with Nigel. She was surprised to not feel the slightest inclining of arousal from their earlier activities, or even looking over him now; just a feeling of warmth and true intimacy.

Smiling, she turned off the television and climbed in beside him. The sun shone outside her window, according to Karen there was fifty messages waiting for them at the university and tomorrow they were supposed to be on another plane for a new seminar, and yet she was completely content to curl up beside her best friend, now the man she loved, and sleep for a few hours.


	30. Chapter 30

DISCLAIMER: Rh not mine. Sorry for the issues with this chapter earlier, Fanfic is giving me headaches. Hope you don't have any issues with this now. Just a short one this time around, next one will be longer. promise. And please if you take the time to read, do post a review. :) Thanks

**CHAPTER 30**

Maftet hissed and scrambled out of the way when Sydney's mug shattered on the kitchen floor at the sound of a blood curdling scream.

Hopping over the shattered pieces, and the cat, Sydney raced up the stairs and found Nigel thrashing violently in the bed. She hurried over and tried to calm him.

"Nigel! Nigel, you're dreaming. Wake up, Nigel, you're dreaming!"

His screams stopped the minute she touched him, but he did not wake, instead he went almost completely limp, and then large silent tears started to slide down his pale cheeks from beneath his closed eyelids.

"Oh baby," she whispered and caressed his sweat soaked brow. "What the hell is scaring you so badly?"

Nigel did not respond, for he was still trapped in whatever nightmare that tormented him. Sydney carefully pulled the covers back over him, stood by for a minute or two to confirm he wouldn't have another bad reaction than headed back downstairs.

She'd woken just a few minutes earlier from a bizarre dream herself, and was unable to sleep after. The sun was low in the sky, but it wasn't yet evening. She couldn't remember a day she's spent lazing in bed or about the loft but she had to admit, she'd enjoyed it.

She had been nibbling on the cold pizza she had brought down from upstairs and had just brewed some coffee when Nigel's scream scared the crap out of her. She swept up the pieces of her broken mug and tossed them in the bin, then reached into the fridge and pulled out the milk. She realized her hands were shaking, even as she retrieved a small saucepan and set it on the stove.

She wished he would talk to her about those damn nightmares, but he'd gone a good while without having one so she hadn't brought the subject up again. It seemed to help, having him sleep in her bed, but there again, she could be projecting her own wishes onto the situation.

She poured milk into the pan, replaced the carton in the fridge and then started to stir it at the sound of Nigel's gentle pacing upstairs, letting her know he had woken fully. She watched until tiny bubbles appeared in the milk and a light film of steam flowed from the top, before pouring it into a glass, just as Nigel started downstairs.

She met him halfway to the kitchen and watched him pause in his obvious agitation as she offered him the glass of warm milk.

"I…How did…?" He stared at her, startled by the gesture and then realized it was pointless to ask her how she knew. She was Sydney, she knew him backwards and forwards. "Thank you, Syd."

"You're welcome." She took his hand, led him over to the sofa and pulled him down beside her. "It was a bad one?"

Nigel took several long swallows of the milk before holding the glass on his knee and staring down into the liquid, instead of meeting Sydney's quiet gaze. "I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

"I was awake," she answered, instead of telling him how much it had disturbed her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." He took another sip of milk.

"It might help."

"It won't."

She touched his knee, concerned. "How do you know it won't?"

He remained silent and intent on his drink.

"I'm worried about you, Nigel."

"I'm fine, Syd."

"You were just upstairs screaming your head off. That is not fine."

He winced, and still didn't look at her. "Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just talk to me."

"I…I don't know what to tell you, Syd."

"Tell me about your dream and what scared you."

Another shrug and more milk.

"I thought we could tell each other anything?" she sighed, settling sideways, facing him and leaning her head on her hand. "I thought we had no secrets?" Even as she said this, she thought of her secret and guilt assuaged her.

Finally, he looked at her. "No one tells each other everything, Syd."

She was startled by his quiet conviction, but recognized the truth behind his words. "I tell you most things."

He nodded and became interested in his milk again. "Likewise."

"Why can't you tell me what frightens you? Is it me? Am I somehow making you…afraid in your dreams?"

He shook his head. "It has nothing to do with you, Sydney."

She sighed and gave up. If he didn't want to talk about it, she would have to respect his decision. "Well, is there anything I can do to make you feel better then?"

He raised his almost empty glass. "This helps, thank you."

She made a face. "I don't care for it myself, but whatever butters your muffin."

His lips twitched in amusement. "My mother used to make me drink it when I was younger, to help me sleep. I didn't care for it either at first, but I became used to it, I suppose."

Sydney touched he would share that intimate memory with her. "Have you always had nightmares, Nigel?"

"I don't know. Sometimes I go months without one, and other times I get them every night." He finished off his milk but held onto the glass. "I can't remember when they started, but I was young."

"Do you remember them after?"

He looked at her. "Syd, please? I really don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, sorry." She nodded. "Well, I've been thinking."

"Always a worthy endeavor."

"I was thinking we probably shouldn't get divorced."

He glanced at her startled. "Sorry?"

"I mean, right away. Your Visa is approved, but how do we know that they won't still be checking in on us?"

"Syd, I doubt the government will waste their resources on us now that the issue has been resolved…"

"Maybe not, but if we file for a divorce so quickly after your approval it might set up a red flag and they could decide to take a closer look again."

Nigel grew quiet. Her logic was sound. It wouldn't do for them to have immigration start digging again because if their ploy was uncovered there would be dire consequences. Still, he was hoping to move back to his own flat and get things back to the way they were before.

He didn't like these new feelings that were creeping up inside of him and if he was ever foolish enough to express them it would put an unfair strain on Sydney, who obviously was fine with how their relationship currently was. She didn't want more, and nor should he.

"How…How long do you think we should…stay married then?" he asked.

"I don't know. Maybe to the end of the year, just to be safe."

"What about…" He caressed his eyebrow, agitated. "What about the um…living arrangements?"

"You can stay here or go back to your place, totally up to you." She could see the tension in him and quickly backpedaled to alleviate his fears. "It would still be in name only, as it has been, right?"

"Right." He cleared his throat to remove the sudden tightness there. "Right, so…so we'd just…we'd just go back to doing what we did before, only we'd be…married still."

"Maybe not completely the way we were before."

His head snapped sideways to catch her gaze. "What…what do you mean?"

She smiled, pulled his glass away from him and set it on the table, then slid closer and put her hands on his chest. "Well, we can keep some of the benefits, can't we?"

Nigel's body temperature skyrocketed and his body immediately answered her question before he could verbalize a response. "I…you…Do you want to…um…continue that…the…benefits, Sydney?"

"Only if you do, but I won't force you, Nigel." She kissed the tip of his nose. "Unless you're into that sort of thing."

He blushed to the roots of his hair and shifted slightly to accommodate his growing need. "Um…I…"

Sydney smiled and placed her hand on his cheek. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't tease you."

"It's okay I…I'm used to it."

Sydney dropped her hand to his shoulder and squeezed. "I really would like to continue, Nigel. We're very good together, don't you think?"

"Yes." But sex led to other things, his mind screamed. Things that were complicated and had no business being between them. "But…"

"But?"

"Aren't you…you worried about…?"

"About…?"

"It could get complicated, Syd."

"Complications aren't always bad, Nigel."

"It could change…our dynamic…"

"Nothing could do that."

"Really?"

"Really. We'll always be who we are, we'll always relate to each other the way we have before." She shrugged and decided to be honest. "Some things may change, some things already have, haven't they?"

Yes. If he was honest with himself he had to admit that. "I don't want either of us to get hurt, Syd."

"Some things are worth the risk." She leaned forward suddenly and grabbed the newspaper she had been flipping through earlier. "Want to go see a movie?"

Nigel was startled by the change in subject. "Uh…now?"

Sydney perused the theater section. "There's one playing at seven that looks good." She showed him the movie advertisement. "We could fix some dinner, get dressed and go, if you're up for it."

"Sure, Syd. If you want." He couldn't remember the last time he had been to an actual theater. They were always so busy. He rose. "I should shower first."

She pulled him back down on the sofa "You already had a bath, why do you need a shower?"

He flushed in delight as he remembered their moment earlier. "I…I should shave at least."

She ran her hand across his cheek where there were just the beginnings of stubble. "Nah, go rugged for the day. Feels nice."

"Does it?" He leaned back as she leaned forward, trapping him between her and the sofa cushions. "Now what are you up to?"

She grinned and walked her fingers up his bare chest. "Nothing much," she lied. "Just thinking about a page in Casanova's book."

Nigel swallowed, twice, and felt his palms start to sweat. "Oh? W…which page exactly?"

She ran her finger down the line of his chest to his stomach and paused just above the waistband of his pajamas. "Thirty-four."

"Thirty-four?"

"Mmm hmmm. Do you remember? It's the one with the…" Her words were swallowed as his mouth pressed against hers in earnest. She let her body fall flush against his, wrapped her arms around his neck and drunk greedily of his kiss.

Nigel loved the feel of her against him, the sweet, delicious taste of her lips, the scent of her shampoo and body cream. Everything about Sydney was beautiful and intoxicating and…addicting. He was addicted, there was no stopping it, and she seemed just as addicted to him.

How awful could it be if they continued such activities? It felt wonderful, they both enjoyed it obviously, and neither of them seemed to have changed that much. Little things, perhaps, affection wise, but overall they were still them.

Sydney slipped her hand between them and grasped him through his pajamas, making him moan in desire, then, needing him on top of her, she pulled him forward as she rolled back, and the breath whooshed out of them as they hit the floor.

"Christ!" Nigel grunted, now sprawled atop her. "It's like snogging a bleeding monkey!"

Sydney howled with laughter.


	31. Chapter 31

**_DISCLAIMER: RH characters not mine. I have a break in my vacation and thought I would post, because I know some of you are waiting for an update. I hope you will enjoy this long, slightly emotional chapter in the spirit which it was written. AS always please review. Thank you_**

**CHAPTER 31**

Sydney entered the Ancient Studies office the following morning with a smile on her face that could easily outshine the sun, but it dimmed slightly when she found Cate Hemphill seated at Nigel's desk, playing with his Union Jack Flag. "Cate!" Her smile slipped for half a second before she pasted another back on. "How'd you get in here? The office was locked."

Cate smiled and rose. "I'm an Interpol Agent, locks mean nothing to me." She smiled at Sydney, but her eyes immediately darted to the man behind the relic hunter. "Hi Nigel."

"Hi, Cate."

Sydney tried not to scowl at the obvious regret and discomfort in Nigel's voice, despite his attempt to hide it. Did he still love Cate? "Well, we didn't expect you until tomorrow or the next day," Sydney stopped at Karen's desk to pick up the pile of messages their secretary had left there. It was Sunday so Karen was off, but they had wanted to come in and get a few things done since they had been away.

"I managed to slip away." Cate watched Nigel walk around her, set his laptop bag on his desk and reach for his own pile of message slips. "You said it was urgent?"

He nodded as he glanced through the slips to give himself the courage to face her again. He didn't know how she always made him feel so inadequate, but she did. She didn't do it deliberately, and he still considered her his friend or he would not have called her about Tia, but it was still hard for him to see her. "Yes, we have someone in need of your special skills."

Cate leaned against his desk, crossed her arms and faced him. "Oh?"

He quickly filled her in on what occurred, centering more on Sydney than his own experience, and Cate immediately turned to face Sydney.

"Good God, are you okay?"

Sydney nodded as she unlocked her office, set her case inside the door; she really missed her satchel, then turned back to the agent. "Thanks to Nigel." She sent him a special smile and hoped with all her heart that he would recognize the love behind it.

"Yes well," Nigel dropped down in his chair. "We're hoping you can help her out with getting a new life, Cate. She's an excellent doctor and she is willing, I think, to tell you about the people who took us."

"We have been hearing reports about a White Slavery operation in the area, people are disappearing left and centre, although that isn't my field." Cate picked up Nigel's flag again and twirled it between her fingers. "I know the agents on the case. I can see what kind of deal they are willing to offer her."

"I'll call Karen and have her bring Tia over," Sydney offered retreating into her office and giving Nigel privacy to clear the air with Cate if he needed to.

"Tia has been through a lot," Nigel stated quietly as he plucked a pen from his cup. "I hope these agents are reliable. She…I don't think she trusts easily."

"Like someone else I know."

Nigel remained silent. He had trusted her, with his secrets, his life and his heart, and he'd paid the price. He wouldn't make that mistake again, unless he was absolutely sure of the woman he offered that trust to.

"They're good guys, Nigel." Cate sighed when he refused to rise to the bait and slid over so that her leg was touching his chair. "I was…glad to get your call."

"I'm surprised you responded to it," he muttered before he could help himself, thinking of all the times he'd called and she hadn't called him back. "Sorry."

"It's okay." She put her hand on his shoulder. "I deserved it. I'll do what I can for your friend." She paused and noticed that he was concentrating on the pen in his hand rather than look at her. "We're still friends, aren't we?"

"Of course."

She caught his chin so he had to look at her. "Are we?"

He stared at her, longing for what could have been, wishing she hadn't broken his heart to pieces, but also aware that she hadn't meant to. That didn't make it hurt less. "Yes."

She smiled and, extended her fingers out over his cheek as she leaned in and touched her lips to his in a deep, slow kiss, then reluctantly pulled away. "I'm glad."

Nigel stared at her, wishing that his heart wasn't currently threatening to beat through his chest as he struggled to understand her. She didn't want a romantic relationship, yet whenever they were together, regardless of the reason, she sent out blatant signals that even he couldn't pretend to ignore.

"They're on their way."

"Great!" Cate straightened and smiled as Sydney emerged from her office. "I came right here from the airport, is there anywhere to get good coffee? I noticed your cafeteria here is closed, but I still saw a few students around."

"We have a few summer programs, but not enough to warrant them keeping it open." Nigel advised.

" There's a Starbucks just one block north," Sydney suggested with a calmness she didn't feel. Stepping out of her office and seeing Cate kissing Nigel had been like a kick in the gut. She should have expected it, but she'd been too blinded by the happy day she and Nigel spent together yesterday.

"I'll grab five coffees then." Cate smiled at Nigel again, snatched her purse and headed out.

Sydney settled in the agent's spot on Nigel's desk. "You okay?"

He nodded and stared at the pen in his hand.

"You want me to go beat her up?"

He huffed in amusement and looked up at her. "Would you really?"

"Any time, anywhere," she promised and glanced at the doorway where Cate had disappeared, then turned back to Nigel. "I can take her."

"I know." Nigel allowed her a sad smile. "I'm pathetic, aren't I?"

"No. She hurt you."

He shrugged and turned back to his pen again.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Are you still in love with her?"

He considered it silently for a few moments, unaware that the woman facing him was holding her breath on his response. Finally, he shook his head. "I don't know that I ever was, Syd. I think…I mean I still get sad thinking about it and she does still have an...effect on me, certainly, but I think I was more in love with the idea of a relationship with someone, anyone really. I thought Cate would be…well." He shrugged. "Anyway, she wasn't what I thought." He snorted at his own pitiful thoughts. "Like I said, pathetic."

Sydney leaned in, much as Cate had done, and put her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I'm your friend right?"

"Absolutely."

"And your mentor?"

"Unquestionably."

"We're partners, right?"

"Perpetually."

"Do you trust my judgment?"

"Implicitly."

She grinned. "Then trust me when I say, Cate's an idiot and it is _her_ loss, Nigel."

He held her gaze as a strange warmth spread through him. He covered the hand on his shoulder with his own. "Thank you, Syd."

She glanced towards the doorway again, quickly, then leaned in and kissed him. "Who knows? Her loss could be my gain?"

He blinked at her. What did she just say? She couldn't have said what he thought she said, and if she did she couldn't possibly have meant what he thought she couldn't have just said, could she?

Before he could question her, Tia and Karen arrived carrying multiple shopping bags, both in slinky black miniskirts, tie-off tops, one red and one yellow, over a skimpy black halter and black platform wedges.

"Hello, Nigel." Tia hurried up to him and smiled. "We have been shopping. What do you think?"

"Dear God!"

She scowled and pulled at the hem of her skirt. "You…you do not like it?"

"Oh he likes it," Sydney and Karen answered simultaneously and then grinned at each other.

"I have had a wonderful time with Karen!" Tia bent and hugged Nigel. "Thank you for kidnapping me!"

"I did not kidnap you!" He sputtered, indignantly. "I…I liberated you from a…a bad situation…"  
"Then threw me into shark infested waters."

"I…You…If you hadn't been bent on assaulting me there would have been no need to throw you anywhere! And we had to get to the boat to get away…the boat was in the water..."

"Along with sharks!"

"You didn't lose any limbs did you?"

"I lost a vital organ!"

"What? What vital organ?"

"My heart." She grinned at him and pursed her lips, watched him blush in delight. "He is very adorable when he does that."

"He really is."

Everyone turned at Cate's comment as she entered with a tray of coffees and a bag of pastries. "Hi, I'm Cate."

Tia's smile faded and she instantly moved behind Nigel as he rose and slid his hand behind him so she could grasp it. "She's the friend I told you about," he murmured and squeezed her hand. "You can trust her."

Karen, deciding to break the sudden tension grinned at Nigel and offered the credit card he had given her yesterday. "This was very useful."

He accepted it grimly. "How long will I be paying it off?"

"Oh, just a year or so," she teased then glanced at the bitch that had broken Nigel's heart. "Cate."

"Karen," Cate replied just as curtly, she got the sense that the secretary hated her guts. She took two coffees from the tray and presented Nigel and Sydney with them, then retrieved two more. "Sydney could we use your office so Tia and I can talk?"

Sydney nodded and Tia looked at Nigel, obviously uncomfortable.

"It will be okay," he assured. "Just answer her questions. She only wants to help and Sydney and I will be right outside the door."

She nodded reluctantly and followed Cate into Sydney's office, where the agent closed the door.

"I feel so bad for her," Karen admitted as picked up the remaining coffee. "She seems like a really nice girl, but she kept looking over her shoulder everywhere we went."

Nigel pulled the lid off of his coffee, took a sip, then quickly exchanged it for Sydney's, who smiled as she traded off. "She's tougher than she thinks. She'll be fine." He took a sip of the new coffee and raised a mental question as to how Cate couldn't remember a simple think like how he liked his coffee after all these years?

"What do you think Cate will offer her?" Sydney asked as she peeked into the bag of pastries that Karen offered her. She selected a Cheese-Danish and handed it to Nigel, then grabbed a Bearclaw for herself. "Do you think they'll charge her with anything?"

"If she testifies she should get immunity. They can offer her witness protection, I suppose, but we can't know for sure." He took a bite of the pastry and dropped down in his chair again, as Karen perched on the front of his desk with her coffee and sweet. "Cate will get her a fair deal, I'm sure."

"How can you be sure?" Karen grunted. "She seems to bring nothing but trouble whenever she comes here."

"I trust her," he replied simply. Perhaps not with his heart anymore, but he could trust her to do her job and help someone in need.

"After she…"

"Karen," Sydney interrupted and shot the secretary a pointed look. "Cate is our friend and she'll do what she can. Drop it." She knew that Karen was only blustering on Nigel's behalf, but that would only embarrass Nigel, so she needed to cut off any further discussion.

"Syd, I've been thinking?"

"Always a worthy endeavor," she tossed and watched him smile. "What were you thinking?"

"Well, and of course we can't make any decisions until we hear what Cate has to say about it all, but I was just thinking that rather than send Tia off to parts unknown, why won't we invite her to stay here?"

"Here?"

"She's not getting my job!" Karen interceded. "I don't care how sweet she is!"

Nigel smirked. "I would never suggest anything of the kind." To Sydney he said. "I was thinking more of adding her to our team, Syd."

"In what capacity?"

"Well, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a doctor along with us on our hunts, now would it?" he suggested. "She could work in one of the free clinics in town most of the time, once we get a work visa for her, and she could come with us sometimes, don't you think? She's smart and talented and has had a bad time of it, but I think she could break out of that shell of hers if she just got some confidence and maybe a bit of real life under her feet." He paused, searching Sydney's quiet expression.

She finally smiled at him. "I think that's a fantastic idea Nigel, and in fact, I think I might even be able to get the Dean to put on as a part time employee. He's been complaining for years about the situations we get into sometimes and not being near any medical assistance."

"So we'll broach the subject to her once we figure out what Cate is doing then?"

Sydney nodded and finished off her pastry just as Karen suddenly hopped up

"Oh, Syd, I completely forgot!" She rose and moved to her desk where she picked up a small Fedex box. "This came on Friday. I was so happy to see you guys yesterday I completely forgot."

Sydney set her coffee on Nigel's desk and accepted the box. "Wonder what it is?" She accepted the pair of scissors that Nigel handed her and slit the taped sides. She pulled open the box and pushed her fingers through the packing peanuts.

Nigel rose immediately as she pulled out her cross bow. "Where on Earth…?"

Sydney looked at him, speechless, handed the ancient weapon to him and then dove into the box again, to pull out her cell, Nigel's cell and her knife.

"Reiner," Nigel muttered and allowed the German a token of gratitude." He must have taken them before the pirates grabbed us, Syd. We suspected he had our mobiles and your knife."

Sydney set her knife down, she could get a new knife anywhere, but her crossbow…She caressed the polished wood of the main mechanism as it sat in Nigel's hand; she always kept it in good shape, and she hadn't realized how upset she was at losing it until just that moment.

She lifted her gaze to Nigel and he smiled at her in understanding. "I…I guess we should thank him, or something."

"I'll take care of it," Nigel promised, touched that she had said we instead of just herself. He was delighted for her, he knew how much she loved her cross bow. He handed her the weapon as Cate and Tia exited from Sydney's office.

Tia immediately moved to Nigel and hugged him. "She will help me," she whispered.

"Of course she will," Nigel offered kindly and met Cate's gaze, gratefully.

"I can start the process," Cate stated. "But it will take a little while. We can set her up in a safe house."

"Actually," Nigel began as Tia released him and he moved forward. "We were thinking of having her stay here, as long as it won't interfere with your side of things, Cate?"

Cate shook her head. "No, but it might take a few weeks to get things started. I need to talk to the agents that are handling the cases and then we'd need to work on apprehending the pirates."

'This could take some time, yes?"

Cate nodded. "Unfortunately. Real life isn't settled like an hour television crime show."

"You can stay with me until the end of the week, Tia," Karen offered. "But my brother will be back by then and our place is pretty cramped already."

"Tia can stay at Nigel's apartment after that."

"Really?"

"That would be great!"

"Sure! What?" Nigel looked from one woman to the other. "Hang on…"

"How would you like to work with us for awhile, Tia?" Sydney smiled. "We could certainly use your skill set in some of the places we end up."

"You…you would do this for me? After…after everything?"

"We don't blame you for that and absolutely!"

"I…That would be…I would love very much to do this!"

"Wait a minute!" Nigel insisted and caught Sydney's arm. "Excuse us a moment, would you?" He pulled Sydney into her office and closed the door, then turned on her. "Sydney! How…why did…I can't live with Tia! I…I hardly know her, and…and my flat is smaller than Karen's!"

Sydney had the urge to ask how Nigel knew the size of Karen's apartment but managed to restrain herself. "No one's asking you to live with her, Nigel. You stay at my place with me."

"But I…"

"We agreed to stay married to the end of the year, right?"

"Well…yes, but…"

"And she doesn't have anywhere else to go, does she?"

"No, but…"

"Your things are already at my place, most of them, so there wouldn't be any shuffling or extra work to set her up in your place other than to get her some food. You have dishes and sheets and the main necessities still there, right?"

"Y…yes of course, but, Syd…I was going to move back to my place, remember?"

"Don't you like living with me, Nigel?"

"That question is beneath you and completely beside the point. Now tell me what possessed you to make such an offer?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Yes of course…no wait." Sydney had never asked him that before, she always just told him her reasons, whether he wanted to know or not. "On second thought, no, no I don't want to know."

"I'd be more than happy to tell you, Nigel."

He stared at her, didn't quite like the light in her eyes. Danger Will Robinson, Danger! "No, I'm…fine not knowing, really."

She shrugged. "So, it's settled. You can stay with me and Tia can have your place for awhile. I'll talk to the Dean and see what we can find for her to do here."

"Yes, sure. Okay."

Sydney smiled at his obvious discomfort and caught his face between her hands. "You are a wonderfully generous person, Nigel Bailey."

He started to smile and then her lips were on his and he forgot what they had been talking about. His arms folded around her on their own accord and pulled her closer. He really, really enjoyed kissing her, far more than he should, but there was little he could do about that.

"Nigel, I'm heading…" Cate opened the office door and gaped at the sight of her two friends in a lover's embrace, despite their quick jerk apart at her entry. What the hell? Sydney and Nigel? Her Nigel? "I…I…uh…sorry, I didn't…I just wanted to…ah…tell you that I…I…" She had come in to see if Nigel wanted to have lunch, but she would have to assume not, from the scene she had just witnessed. "I'm headed back to…to Headquarters. I'll keep you posted."

Nigel was moving forward as soon as Cate closed the door again, but Sydney caught his arm. "She doesn't understand!" he insisted. "I hurt her, I could see it! She…"

"She's hurt you a thousand times over, Nigel. She can't expect you to wait around forever while she tries to make up her mind."

"No, of course not, but…Syd…she looked so…" He couldn't find the word for how Cate had looked. Stunned? Bewildered? Betrayed? "I…I should talk to her…tell her…"

"Tell her what, Nigel?" Sydney asked softly, while her heart anxiously flipped over in her chest. "You said you didn't love her."

"No, but…"

"She has no say in who you kiss and who you don't, then."

"Sydney! This is different! She thinks that we…that we…are together!"

"And we're not?"

"No! Not…not that way!"

Sydney's heart fell into her stomach and she had to work not to show how heartbroken she was. "Then I guess you'd better go talk to her and sort it out." She pulled away and walked over to her window to look out. He didn't love her, probably couldn't love her, because despite his denial, he was still in love with Cate Hemphill.

Nigel was torn. He didn't want Cate to think he and Sydney were together because he sensed it would hurt her, and despite her treatment of him in the past, he didn't want to hurt her. She didn't deserve it. And yet, no Sydney seemed hurt and he didn't understand why. Two women he cared deeply about, both in turmoil, yet both strong and independent. He couldn't tend to them both.

Sydney flinched when she heard her office door open and close and gripped the window frame to keep from losing it altogether. The choice had been made. She was damned if she would shed a tear over it, despite what her heart craved. She took several deep breaths and willed the sudden flood of tears away, then turned around just as Nigel returned.

Her surprise was obvious. "I…I thought you'd gone to Cate?" She hated that her voice shook when she said it.

He shook his head and closed the door again, then leaned against it. "I asked Karen to take Tia out for awhile, so we…could have some privacy."

"Why?"

"That's what I'm wondering," he admitted, but did not move any closer. "Why would you be so upset if I wanted to go and explain things to Cate? Why won't you tell me what I said that upset you? Why are you hiding things from me?"

"I'm not upset."

He stared at her and waited. He knew her too well, she had to realize that. He could see the pain on her face, when no one else could. The flash of her eyes, daring anyone to approach was the first barrier. The tell-tale twitch of her fingers on her right hand, the itch to either grab something or hit it. The slump of her shoulders and the proud tilt of her chin, warning people away because she was close to the edge and no one was permitted to see that vulnerability. But to him, all of these were signs that Sydney Fox was hurting and he needed to know why.

"Talk to me, Syd."

"There's nothing to talk about." She dropped down in her chair and grabbed a pen out of her cup to start scribbling on her note pad. "I have some messages to catch up on, you should do the same."

Another tell, and Nigel ached for her. He walked over and took her pen away. "Sydney."

Sydney couldn't hold out any longer, she gathered her courage and spoke the truth. "I love you, Nigel."

He smiled. "Likewise."

"No." She squeezed her hands together on her desk, cursing herself for saying it and yet desperate for him to understand. "I'm in _love_ you."

Nigel paused, startled. "No. No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"You...you can't be?"

"Why can't I be?"

He slumped in the chair opposite her, bewildered even as a warning fear started to creep through his body. "B...because you're you and...and I'm...well...me and… and That...that's not what our relationship is."

Sydney scowled. "Why not?"

"Because it...it just isn't!"

"But it could be."

"No!"

Sydney felt that cramp in the pit of her stomach again. "Why is it such an impossible thing?" she asked, curious as to why he was so against the idea. "You should be flattered." She hadn't expected him to look like he was ready to stroke out.

"It…Sydney it's complicated." No, no, no, no. This couldn't be happening. He couldn't have that kind of relationship with Sydney. If it didn't work out they would lose everything they had! Didn't she understand that?

Sydney tried to think of a reason why he would be so against the idea and could only come up with one. "I'm not Cate, Nigel. I won't hurt you."

He shot to his feet. "This isn't about Cate!"

"Then what?" she demanded her temper rising as she also stood. "Am I not tall enough? Are my tits not big enough for you?" Her heart was on the line here and he couldn't see past a few complications?

"Sydney! Don't…don't say that. It…I…"

"Well, there must be some reason I don't turn you on!"

"Oh come on!" He snapped and moved away from her, anxiously pushing his fingers through his hair. "That is not fair!" Had she forgotten their kisses? The way they held each other, the passion they had both shared? "Of course you do, but…Syd, attraction is not the only thing to base a relationship on!"

She should have waited. She should have planned an easier, softer way to tell him, but she had felt unexpectedly devastated when she thought he had walked out on her to chase Cate. He'd been upset that Cate had seen them kissing, that much had been obvious and Sydney was hurt that he still felt the agent deserved any kind of explanation when he had made it plain earlier that he wasn't in love with her. However, in the end he had stayed here with her. That had to count for something.

She pushed back her temper and fear, knowing Nigel would react worse if she pressed him and made him emotional. You're right," she admitted. "Sex is amazing between us but there are other things to consider."

"Yes! Exactly!"

"Right, so, let's consider the facts."

"F…Facts?"

"Sure. We are both people that respect facts, right?"

"Uh….okay."

"Fact, we're great friends."

"Yes, but..."

"Fact, we make a great team."

"Of course, but..."

"Fact, we're in the same career field and work the same hours. If we had a romantic relationship we'd see each other often so the usual complaint of not spending enough time together would be mute."

"N…Now wait, that is exactly a reason it wouldn't work..."

Sydney continued as if she hadn't heard him. "Fact, we have a lot in common."

"O…Opposites attract!" He insisted, desperate to lend some strength, any strength to his side of the argument.

"Not always," Sydney countered. "Fact, together we have the most amazing sex!"

"Oh come on!" Nigel groaned. "You can't count that!"

"Of course I can. Chemistry may not be the only reason for two people to have a loving relationship, but you can't deny it is also a factor in having a solid one."

Loving relationship? Sweet Christ! When had they started having that? Why hadn't he just left when he had the chance? How could he not have seen this coming? Why had he allowed her to lead him right where she wanted him to go? Into her bed and into her arms. How could he have been so stupid? He never in a million years would have expected Sydney's feelings for him to change so drastically.

"Fact," Sydney continued. "We're both intelligent, kind hearted, generous and virile."

"Virile?"

"I can definitely confirm that one after last night."

He dropped his face into his hands, appalled. "You're killing me."

"We're both very amiable and we've managed to live together quite comfortably."

"This could never work!" he insisted.

"Don't be so negative."

"Sydney, please!"

"You already have me, Nigel, no need to beg."

"Stop twisting my words!"

She grinned. "Stop playing hard to get."

"I am not playing hard to get!"

"Okay, fine, then. Tell me you don't love me and we'll end the discussion."

"I don't!"  
"No, you have to say it. Go on, say, Sydney, I am not in love with you."

"Sydney...I...I don't...We haven't...I can't..."

"If you can't say it you can't deny it."

"You're being ridiculous."

"Then say it!"

"I'm English! We don't say things like that!"

"Poppycock."

"Sydney, be reasonable."

"Face the facts, Nigel. You're totally in love with me."

"You...I...We..." Damn her rationality and ego! "I'm shite in relationships, Sydney! You know that. How can you possibly..."

"Who says?"

"Wh...what?"

"Who says you're shite in relationships?"

"Everyone! All of them! Every damn woman I have ever dated!"

"Ask me on a date and let's compare."

'Sydney!"

"Nigel!"

"I can't!"

"You can!" She smirked. "Face it, Nigel. I always get what I want, and I want you."

"Not always and I am not some bloody toy for you to take out and play with on a whim, nor am I a new pair of shoes."

"Nigel, I am in love with you, and you are starting to piss me off."

"I'm sorry!"

"Don't be sorry, just tell me you don't love me back or accept it." She shrugged and started to walk around her desk, only slightly hurt when he stepped back. "I'm in love with my husband, Nigel. There are far worse things."

He stared at her, his distress apparent as he put one hand on his hip and ran the other through his hair. "Sydney, please. Don't…You're not in love with me, you just…"

A thought occurred to him, a desperate lingering thought that could save them. "You…You may be still been going through withdrawal…"

Sydney became incensed. She was showing him, offering him, a side of her that she never let anyone see and he was trying to make it about those damned pirates? "Do you think I don't know when I'm in love with someone?"

"I…yes…no...But I…Syd...The doctors said that symptoms of...of the drugs could...could last...awhile."

"This isn't about that!"

"It could be, Syd. You've been through a bad time and..."

"I knew before we were taken, Nigel!" she snapped and watched his eyes grow wider. "When you fell in that Godforsaken hole I knew for sure that I was in love with you!" It didn't seem possible but Nigel went several shades whiter and that just made her angrier. "What in the name of God are you so afraid of?"

He stared at her and could only shake his head. Everything was falling to pieces, crumbling around him and he couldn't get his bearings to avoid being crushed.

Sydney saw him sway and needed him to focus. She didn't want to hurt him or cause him to faint, she just need him to respond, to own up to his own feelings. There was only one sure way to prod Nigel Bailey into showing his cards, and while she rarely forced his hand, she needed some resolution, for them both.

"Did you ever love me?"

"Of course!"

"If you loved me, even a little, even as a friend, you wouldn't be acting like this. You couldn't hurt me like this."

"I'm not trying to hurt you!"

The pain in his voice mirrored hers and it was like a knife through her gut. She knew that he wouldn't intentionally hurt her, but she had to be honest. She turned away towards the window. "Well, you are."

Nigel moved towards her, unable to bear the thought that he was the cause of her pain. He started to reach for her, to put his hand on her shoulder, then let it fall back to his side. "Sydney, I…I never expected this."

"Me either." She turned back to him and her eyes sparkled suspiciously as she fought for control. "I shouldn't have said anything. I should have waited." She shook her head and lowered her eyes. "It's not your fault that you don't love me."

It was killing him to see her so upset. "I do!" he insisted and his voice broke with emotion. This was going all to hell and he couldn't seem to stop it. "How can you doubt that I care for you, even for an instant, after what we've been through?"

"But you don't! You as much as said…"

"There are many degrees of Love, Sydney. You have no right to dismiss the feelings I have for you, just because they aren't what you want them to be. I can't suddenly turn on a switch after seven years and decide that I'm in love with my best friend! It doesn't bloody work that way!"

Sydney knew he was right. She knew, but she was hurting so much. She'd thought Nigel wouldn't feel the same. How could he not feel the same? Hadn't he felt what she felt when they kissed? Hadn't he risked his life for her, took care of her? How could he not love her? "You say you love me?"

"I do …"

"As a woman?"

Nigel's scowled and took an involuntary step back. Why did people keep asking him that? "I…well…not…not…I mean…that…it…I…."

"I'm so stupid!" She muttered bitterly and hugged herself. "No man will ever love me. You're just like the rest of them. I'm good enough for a quick lay, but beyond that I'm too much to handle."

Nigel was stung by her words, but stepped closer against his own judgment with his heart caught in his throat. Sydney's chest was heaving, her words were defensive but her body language was vulnerable and her eyes still sparkled with unshed tears.

Moved almost to tears himself, he slowly pulled her into his arms. "Don't do this, Sydney. Don't make it ugly, please? I can take that from anyone but you."

Sydney felt sorrow and shame rush through her as she wrapped her arms around him. "I don't know what's wrong with me," she murmured as she hid her face against his shoulders. "This isn't the way it's supposed to be. It isn't supposed to be this way." Being in love was supposed to be joyful and fun and romantic, not hesitant and miserable and torn.

Nigel chewed hard on his lip, the pulse in his jaw worked furiously as he attempted to keep from breaking down. "Will...will you listen?" he asked softly as he caressed her hair. She nodded, but didn't raise her head. "Syd, I...You've been the most solid relationship I have ever had." He paused to gather himself again. "I can't fully express what our friendship means to me, but nor can I admit to feeling something for you that...that I'm just not sure of." He didn't think she was sure of it either. Too much had happened and she was too close to everything to see things differently.

To an outsider it would seem they were pre-destined to fall in love, as if an anonymous author took it upon themselves to write a story with him and Sydney as the main characters, and then set the stage for a romance that the reader could easily see coming but the players could not.

His risk of deportation, their solution of marriage and being pressed into living together, their constant time spent together, then a move to a physical relationship and finally the danger and reality of forever being parted. It seemed completely scripted, but Nigel wasn't a character in a book, and nor was Sydney. This was real life and real life had consequences.

Perhaps Sydney's feelings had changed, or perhaps they were both feeling the effects of everything that had recently happened. Atop the drugs that Sydney had been dosed with, despite her claim that they no longer affected her, it was no wonder that her emotions were on a rollercoaster ride.

He took a chance, slid closer and put his head and hands against her bowed head. "I'm scared you see, so very..." He took a deep shaky breath. "Scared."

She lifted her head finally to meet his gaze. "Why?"

"If we take this...this leap. If we...if we move to another level and it...it doesn't work, I could lose you, Syd. I could lose us, and...and I just...I'm not ready to risk that."

Sydney felt a single tear stream down her face at his confession as she finally understood his fear, but that didn't stop her from loving him. She looked into his eyes and saw the sorrow that matched hers so completely. "You're the One, Nigel."

"Oh God." He moved away in reflex until his legs hit her guest chair and he slumped into it. He knew what such a declaration meant for her and his heart ached. "I...I don't want to be The One."

"I know." She sniffed and briskly wiped the moisture from her face, she would not cry. She knew that hurt Nigel more than anything, and as she focused on that point to regain control, she fell even further in love with him. "But, you are and I can't change that." Her pain was his pain, he'd said so a hundred times, but didn't he realize that was what true love was about? "I understand what you're saying, because I was afraid of it too, but this is how I feel and it is real. It's very real."

He sat in miserable silence and stared at his hands. He could see the walls crumbling around him and was helpless to stop it. He didn't want to hurt Sydney, but he couldn't promise something he didn't feel, especially when he couldn't be sure her feelings were not designed due to circumstance. Once that door was opened, there was absolutely no turning back.

"So...what do we do now?" she asked dropping down in the chair beside him.

"I...I don't know."

"I can't pretend this away," she admitted. "I can't ignore what we've said."

He shook his head in agreement. Nor could he. "Perhaps...perhaps I should..." God this was killing him to even consider. "Go away for…for awhile."

"No!" Sydney gripped his arm, tightly. "Please don't do that!"

"I...I don't know what else to do."

Sydney shook her head. "I'll...I'll try and not push you, or...or expect anything, but please don't leave, Nigel. We've been through so much to get you to stay here! You can't leave now."

"I don't want to hurt you, Sydney, and I feel I am."

"No." She caught his chin and forced him to meet her gaze. "That's my problem. We're...we're still friends and...and partners. We'll figure it out."

Nigel stared at her, realized he wanted more than anything to kiss her and erase that horrible desolate look in her eyes, and wondered if he did feel more or if he was falling into the same trap of set circumstance?

He settled for catching one new tear as it slid down her cheek. "Don't cry anymore?" he requested softly. "I'd rather be drawn and quartered than see you this sad, Syd." Especially when he was the cause.

She sniffed and wiped at her face again and grasped his hands. "There. I'm done."

They sat silently holding hands, staring at each other, and then Nigel slowly rose. "I…should go."

"You don't have to…" Sydney quickly protested, rising with him.

"I do, Syd. I need time to…" To digest everything. To see how he really felt and to weigh all the options. "We…we both need to step back and…and think for a bit."

"But I …Will you come home after?" She lowered her eyes, shyly. "I mean…to my place?"

"I'll have to, you've given away my flat!"

She managed a smile because he was trying for one. "Sorry about that."

"No you're not." He held her gaze and spoke the truth. "I want to stay with you." He realized how true that was now, but pushed it back. "But….our feelings won't be reliable if….if I stay there."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and murmured in his ear. "You think I'll come to my senses if we're not living together anymore? You think I'll stop being in love with you?"

He closed his eyes, wishing for once that she didn't know him so damn well. "I think we both need to…reevaluate, Syd."

She squeezed him tighter. "Okay. Okay." She gave him another quick squeeze then released him. "This is me stepping back. I'll wait." She nodded, as much to herself as to him. "I'll let Karen know that Tia will be staying with her thru the week and…you go back to your place if you need to."

"It's not because I want to, Syd."

"Yes. I know, and you're right. Some time apart would be good for us, personally. I…I'd still expect you to come to work."

He nodded. "Yes, of course." He stared at her a moment longer then moved towards the door. "I…I'll see you…later then."

She nodded, even though she wanted to throw her arms around him and never let him go. "Nigel?" she said as he opened her office door.

He turned back and met her intense gaze.

"Whatever your decision, nothing changes.. We're still partners." She saw him tremble before her and truly comprehended how afraid of losing what they had he really was.

"Promise me, Syd?"

"I promise."

"I…I don't…I don't know how….how I feel."

"That's okay. Feel only what you what to feel, there's no rush."

"But…you said…"

"Forget what I said. I was angry and hurt…" She stepped closer and touched his cheek. "I did it to myself. I expected too much too fast."

"Thank you, Syd. For…for understanding."

She kissed him sweetly, softly and with all the love she felt for him, then pulled back and regarded his dazed expression. "Incentive."

He licked his lips and before he could consider the action, gently kissed her back. All too soon he retreated and released her. "I need to go."

Sydney put on a brave face and nodded, but she flinched when at the quiet click of her door as he stepped out and closed it behind him. She knew she would see him later and that she had only to call him and he would come, but it felt too much like he was walking out of her life.

She moved back to her office window stared out over the campus, thinking back off all the days they had spent here together, all the summers they had been through, the exams, the hunts, the fun and the laughter, the fear and the pain. She absently played with her rose ring and tried to rebuild the walls around her heart, at least until Nigel had made a choice.


	32. Chapter 32

_**DISCLAIMER:**_ _RH characters not mine, but all other aspects of the story are, so please do not print, copy or reproduce without my permission. Sorry you had to wait for update, was up to my eyeballs with wedding prep for a friend and had very little time to write. Hope you find this chapter worth the wait, and as always, please, please review._

**CHAPTER 32**

Nigel was on his forth beer at a downtown bar, had already refused three invitations for a private party from eager looking women, and had still not figured out what he was going to do about Sydney.

A tall, good looking blond man settled next to him at the bar and ordered a Bud Light. He turned and regarded Nigel's sorrowful expression. "You look like your horse just shot his shoe. What's wrong, mate?"

Nigel was slightly startled to hear the man's British accent. "You're English."

"And you're very observant." The man accepted his beer and held out his hand. "Trenton Manchester, of Kent."

Nigel shook his hand. "Nigel Bailey, London."

"Delighted. So, what's the scoop?"

Nigel frowned. "Do you really want to know?" He shook his head. "You mustn't be British then."

Trenton grinned. "Part Aussie, now tell me, lose your best mate?"

"No, well, maybe." Nigel shook his head, still confused over it all. "I don't know."

"Ah, I see." He regarded the heightened glaze in Nigel's eyes. "How many of those have you had?"

"Three, four, lost count, I think."

"The start of a good bender." Trenton snagged a waitress as she started past. "Excuse me, luv. Could I have a round of nachos, when you've the time?" She smiled outrageously, as most American women did when confronted with an Englishman, and hurried to place the order. He turned back to Nigel. "Right then, where were we?"

"Sydney's in love with me!" Nigel was surprised when he just out and confessed, but the alcohol was loosening his tongue.

"That's great!"

"No it's not!"

"It's not?"

"No!"

"Oh, is she a woofer?"

"No! She's...she's beautiful, stunning actually."

"So what's the problem?"

"Sydney and I...we...she...There can't be that sort of relationship between us."

"Oh. You're a unich?"

"I am not!"

"A Puff?"

"I'm not gay, either!"

"Then why can't there be a relationship of that sort between you and a beautiful woman?"

"You don't understand..."

"I'm trying to. Do you love her?"

Why did everyone keep asking him that? "I...I care deeply for her..."

"But do you love her?"

"It isn't that simple..."

"Seems pretty simple to me, either you do love her or you don't love her."

"You are missing the point entirely!"

"Which is?"

"Sydney and I are friends. We also work together. A relationship...a romance between us would be our downfall!"

"Why?"

"Because everything would change!"

"Life is change, mate. Things quickly get stale without it."

"Oh shut it!"

"You banging her?"

"What?"

"Seemed like a pretty straight forward question, even for someone as pissed as you seem to be."

"No! I am not banging her!" What he and Sydney did together was far from anything so crass.

The waitress returned with a large plate of fully loaded nachos and set them on the bar, then smiled coyly at Trenton. "I'm off at midnight."

"Glad to hear it," he returned and then to Nigel. "Do you like her at least?"

Nigel glanced at the waitress as she pouted and walked off. "Seems to give good service."

"I meant your Sydney. Do you like Sydney?"

"Of course! She's my mentor and my very best friend!"

"So, you and she are close. Some of the best relationships start off as friends."

"No. No, this is different. She...She..."

"Is a mutton head?"

"Sydney is one of the most intelligent people I have ever met!"

"So, not a mutton head, then?"

"No!"

"Is she…what's that American saying…High maintenance?"

"No." Nigel shook his head. "I don't think so, no. She's very independent and most times better qualified than anyone she could ask to do a job."

"Officious then?"

"Hardly. Well, sometimes, but only in the field. She's actually very giving and supportive."

"Right then, so, she's stunning, brilliant, self- sufficient, supportive and you don't want her as your bird because...?"

"I don't want to lose my best friend!" Nigel cried. "What I have with Sydney is real and strong and...and beyond anything else I've ever had with anyone. If we started a romance and it didn't work out, I'd lose that bond. I can't risk it."

Trenton regarded Nigel quietly as he finished off his beer and ate a few nachos. Finally, he spoke. "You're an idiot."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Granted, but you're still an idiot. You can't be afraid to give your heart to someone, mate, especially if this woman is as special as you make her sound. You can't stand on the sidelines wondering what if, you just need to jump in and swim."

"Or drown. Or get eaten by sharks. Or strangled by an octopus. Or..."

"There see, now you're thinking positive."

Nigel grunted and drained his beer. "Why am I even telling you any of this?"

"No idea, but you obviously needed to talk to someone about it." Trenton ordered another beer. "Look, Nigel was it?" Nigel nodded. "If she loves you, and you love her nothing in the world would be able to come between you, unless she was married…

"She is married."

"Oh, well…that does change things a bit…"

"She's married to me!" Nigel dropped his head on the bar with a thunk as he realized how ridiculous the whole situation sounded.

Trenton, too his credit, remained silent and selected another cheese covered nacho.

Nigel lifted his head. "Aren't you going to ask why I don't want a romantic relationship with my wife?"

"Obviously you were married for convenience, and now the convenience has become a contrivance, or at least you believe it to be, to ensnare your heart." Trenton finished off his beer. "Or, it could be just the natural course of the relationship you already had, and you're fighting it tooth and nail as you don't see that you are good enough for this woman you married."

Nigel gaped at him, startled at the man's accuracy, even more so at the sense it made. "What am I going to do?"

"No idea, mate." Trenton tossed money on the bar and rose. "I'm just glad it isn't me that has to make that decision." He pushed the almost full plate of nachos in front of Nigel and patted his shoulder. "Eat something, would you? You need to soak up some of that beer."

Nigel watched his countrymen walk off, then turned and selected a nacho, as ordered.

* * *

Nigel caught a cab back to his apartment and had to work to get his key into the lobby door. After he dropped it the second time and bent to retrieve it, he felt a warm hand cover his for a moment, then take the keys and insert them into the lock.

With much effort he rose again and tried to focus on the face in front of him, watched as the person opened his lobby door, caught his arm and pulled him inside. It wasn't until they were in the elevator headed up when he found his voice.

"What…what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." The elevator opened and Cate again held him as they walked the short distance to his apartment. She unlocked that door as well and stepped over the threshold with him. "Looks like you've been celebrating."

"Sydney says she loves me, "he blurted in his drunken state as she settled him on the sofa.

Cate felt her heart sink as she remembered the scene she'd witnessed in Sydney's office and moved to the small kitchenette, filled the kettle then set it on the stove "Of course she does, you guys are close…"

"No, No she…she means…in love, Cate."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I…I don't know."

"Do you love…?" She paused, for she had no right to ask. She'd refused him, hadn't she? What right did she have to inquire about his love life? And yet, she couldn't _not_ ask. "Are you in love with her?"

"No, yes…God, I don't know! I never…I never expected to be asked that question." And now three people had asked him in the space of a few months. "I like nice, quiet…women."

Cate released the breath she had been holding and with it, felt her own heart break a little. She'd waited too long. She'd been afraid of having a proper relationship with Nigel, but only because it was so easy to fall in love with him.

He was always there, like an eager puppy to greet her whenever she had the time to see him and with the exception of the first year they knew each other, he had never pushed her for more than she would give. She knew she had hurt him by not returning his calls, or not allowing them to explore a relationship beyond physical gratification, especially when she did come around they almost always ended up in bed, but her misdeeds had been in self preservation.

She was an Interpol agent, she couldn't afford intimate relationships and the fact that Nigel had been eager for one, with her, had caused all her warning bells and barriers to rise. She had never successfully purged the sweet, sincere, Englishman from her thoughts, as she had so many others, and that was dangerous. She'd been a coward to choose her career over her heart, and now she was paying the price.

Now, Nigel had found someone else; even if he wasn't convinced of it yet. As his friend, and as someone who loved him she should support him and ignore the pain it caused her.

"Liar," she sighed, as she prepared two cups with instant coffee, making Nigel's especially strong. "If that were true you and I would never have been together."

"We didn't stay together and that…that's the point of it really. Isn't it?"

"Nigel, just because things didn't work out with us doesn't mean it can't work out for you with Sydney."

"Of course it does. It must. Don't you see?" He stared up at her as she approached him with two mugs, his gaze desperate. "Do you love me, Cate?"

She hesitated and then nodded, there was little point in hiding the truth now.

"Just…not in the way that I love…loved you," he moaned, as she settled beside him and offered him one of the cups of coffee, missing the quick spark of misery in her eyes. "I understand that now. I understand that because now I am the one hurting someone."

"It's hard," Cate admitted and sipped her coffee, at war with her conscience over whether or not to encourage Nigel towards Sydney, who was also her friend, or suggest the opposite for her own benefit. "You can't feel more than what you feel, Nigel."

"I know."

"So, you have to tell her that you just care about her as a friend." Her selfishness was winning out and it annoyed her, but she'd already started on that dark path and felt desperate enough after witnessing the scene in Sydney's office to at least try and win him back. "It's hard, believe me I know, but in the end it will be better for both of you."

"I don't know,"

"It will be okay."

"No, I…I mean…Yes I love Sydney as a friend, but…I honestly don't know if I feel more than that. I never considered…well perhaps once I did but that was so long ago."

"Just tell her you need time." Cate set her coffee down so she could place one hand on his shoulder while the other rubbed his back, something she remembered soothed him.

"Sydney is _not_ a patient person."

"Well, she'll have to be, won't she?"

"I don't want to ruin things. I don't want to lose what I have with her." He looked at her and his eyes were swimming. "She is my very best friend, Cate. She's gives me solace and support when I had none before. I…I can't lose that."

Again that stark blinding pain stabbed through Cate's heart, the pain of envy and loss and her breath caught in her chest. Had she hurt him this much when she so coldly turned him away? Had he been this close to collapse at the idea of losing her? She wanted to think so, but she doubted it.

"You just need time, Nigel," she assured, using her agent training to force herself to speak in a clear, calm tone. She knew he was inebriated, and wasn't thinking clearly. She cursed herself, because she knew she could use it to her advantage. That's what government training did to you, it made you focus on the goal, regardless of the means of achieving it. "You don't want to rush into anything."

"No," he admitted as he stared into his coffee. "Rushing would ruin everything."

"Sometimes people just need to step back, or see things from another perspective."

"Yes. That…that's what I told her. She…she could still be going through withdrawals. She was drugged you know?"

"I'm sure that's it. Sydney likes to be in control and I'm maybe she's still reeling from having it stripped from her like that."

Nigel nodded. "It was like Carson all over again, only she wasn't being controlled by anyone else. She just….she just wasn't Sydney."

"You've both been through a lot, Nigel. You both have earned some down time and some comfort."

"God, that would really be lovely, if only I could."

"Drink your coffee," she cooed gently as she continued to rub his back. "You'll feel better once you sober up."

He took a sip and made a face, then set it on the coffee table.

"What's wrong?"

"It's too sweet."

"You don't take two sugars anymore?"

He looked at her, slightly bleary-eyed and more than a little disappointed. "I've never taken two sugars, Cate."

"I've been giving you two sugars in your coffee for five years!" Of course, he was usually the one that got them coffee when they were together. "Why didn't you tell me before now?"

He shrugged. "I didn't want to hurt your feelings."

She smirked and shook her head at his sense of etiquette. "Oh, Nigel." She caught his face between her hands. "You're one of a kind." She was delighted when he blushed and grinned and didn't believe she could be blamed when she gave into the urge to kiss him.

Nigel's eyes fluttered closed at the soft, familiar sensation of Cate's mouth on his as his arms slowly slid around her. He had a brief, flickering thought of Sydney, but the alcohol in his system seemed to deaden his sense of guilt as Cate opened her mouth to his exploration.

Everything else faded away, everything but the feel of the woman in his arms, warm, sensuous and eager for what he could give her. He threaded his fingers through her hair as their tongues danced. This was better than his earlier confusion. Better than drowning his sorrows. This was what he wanted. He needed to feel something else, something that wasn't confusing or hurtful or sad.

He felt himself pushed backwards against the sofa cushions and the unmistakable feel of a pliant, hot and willing body covering his. A low moan escaped him as a hand slid between their grinding bodies and cupped him; he lifted his hips in response and wasn't surprised when impatient fingers pulled at his belt.

"Yes," he gasped when they broke for air as his shirt was pulled off and he fell back against the cushions once more.

Cate tossed his belt and shirt to the floor and sat up to go to work on unfastening his slacks, her lust for him overpowered every other thought, but getting him naked and having him inside of her. It was always so damn good with him, so incredibly wonderful. She almost laughed when he interrupted the process to pull her back down for another scorching, sumptuous kiss, and gave herself over to it, instantly.

"I want you so much, Nigel!" she gasped as his hands slid inside her blouse to cup her breast.

"Want you…Sydney."

Cate froze as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over her body. He wasn't making love to her! He was thinking of Sydney, because he was drunk, and he was living his fantasy of who he wanted to be kissing and touching.

She pulled away and sat up to quickly refasten her blouse, lowered her eyes ashamed when Nigel struggled to sit up.

"W…what's wrong?"

"We can't do this." Cate felt ashamed as she regarded his half naked form and flushed cheeks, his eyes glazed with desire, confusion and yes…alcohol. Damn it! What the hell was wrong with her, taking advantage of him like this? Just how desperate was she? "You're not up for this, Nigel. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have started it…"

He sat up and reached for her. "I am up for it, very up for it," he assured with a silly grin as he caught her hand and held it against him.

God, she wanted him. She tried once more, and then told herself if he was still encouraging she'd go with it. Perhaps he realized now who had been touching him. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Why not? We're married now."

Cate snatched her hand away. "We're what?" She watched as he tried to focus on her and witnessed his confusion.

"Married." Another soppy smile. "You looked so beautiful Syd, in your wedding dress."

"Nigel!" Cate rose, appalled. "I'm not Sydney! I'm Cate!" Married? How could they be married?

"No," he finally said and shook his head as he fell back. "Cate doesn't love me. Cate doesn't care if I'm sad, or depressed, or hurt. She only wants me...for sex. Sydney cares. Sydney loves… me."

Cate's heart sank into her feet and she felt tears spring to her eyes. Had she really been so horrible to him that he thought she didn't care about him? The idea stunned and shamed her.

She watched his eyes grow heavy as the alcohol finally took its toll and walked into his bedroom, pulled a blanket from his closet then returned to cover him. She knelt and caressed his brow, even as his breathing grew deeper with sleep. "I do care about you, Nigel," she whispered and touched her lips to his, one last time. "I'm so, so sorry."

With a heavy heart she rose poured out the coffee and set the cups in the sink, then shut off the lights in his apartment and closed the door as she left.


	33. Chapter 33

**DISCLAIMER**: _Sydney and Nigel are not mine. _

_Cate Hemphill was only ever a guest character on the series, and the character did not really have the chance to be explored before the show was cancelled. I struggled with making her a friend or a foe, and decided on the latter, because however brief, her affect on Nigel was obvious and while her portrayal in this story may not ring true for some of you, I think it was closer to the surface of the original character. Plus, there has to be at least some friction and combat for Nigel, or it wouldn't be a true love story, right?(We all know how Sydney loves a good fight!)_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoy it regardless of the way I have chosen to portray Cate and I hope you will review when you have finished reading. Thank you_

**CHAPTER 33**

Sydney was on her third glass of wine when there was a knock at her door. Knowing that only Nigel and Karen had a key to the lobby door, she set her glass down and hurried over, hoping it was Nigel coming home.

She paused in front of a small, ornamental wall mirror to check her hair, then knotted her robe and slid open the heavy door with a huge smile, faltering slightly when she saw Cate Hemphill on the other side. "Cate. I thought you flew out?"

"I need to talk to you." Cate stepped inside without an invitation. She had tried to leave it alone, honestly she had, and had almost made it to the airport, but she couldn't stop thinking of Nigel. She wanted him, badly, which meant that she needed resolve the issue that had come between them.

"By all means, come in." Sydney closed the door and turned to face the other woman, warily. "What can I do for you?"

"Why didn't you tell me you and Nigel were married?"

"What difference does it make?"

"I almost had sex with him!"

Sydney's blood went from zero to boiling in seconds. "You what!"

"I went to his apartment to talk to him about…about what I saw in your office."

"What you saw is none of your business, Cate. You may be our friend but Nigel doesn't belong to you."

"So, it's true? You're married?" Cate couldn't believe it. How could this have happened? Sydney and Nigel had only ever been friends! How could they be married? It had to be a ruse, something they'd had to do, perhaps for a relic, or for insurance purposes. It couldn't be because they were in love, it couldn't! "A marriage of convenience then?"

"I think you should leave." Sydney pulled open the door again. "I'm not discussing this with you."

"You have to!"

"Excuse me?"

"We need to talk…about Nigel. I have to tell you…"

"How dare you! _You_, tell _me_, about Nigel? You broke his heart!"

"I know! And that's how I know his heart is also breaking over this. Open your eyes, Sydney. He doesn't want you."

The idea that Nigel had spoken to Cate about them hurt and incensed Sydney. Why couldn't he just talk to her? Why had he felt the need to bring the other woman into it? How could he confide in Cate, a woman who had repeatedly hurt him and made him doubt his own worth, and not with his own partner?

"He doesn't know what he feels. He needs some time to figure it out."

Cate was in love with Nigel, she realized that after she left his apartment, but she assumed he would always be there, waiting for her to come to town. He'd been the perfect outlet in her hectic, often lonely life. He had always been willing to pick up where they left off when she came to town, at least with a bit of coaxing from her. Although he had sometimes been upset with her, she made allowances for his reluctance because she understood she had wounded him. In the end, however, he always gave in to their attraction for each other.

The idea that he would now be off limits, that she would lose her last connection to another human being after years of giving up everything and everyone else to her career made her desperate, especially now that Sydney had entered the equation and it was obvious that Nigel was just as much in love with the relic hunter as she was him; even if he was afraid to admit it. She couldn't lose him to Sydney. She wouldn't!

"He does know," she pressed. "He told me it was like our roles are reversed, in how he loves me but thought I couldn't love him back, but I do, very much. Now you love him, but he doesn't love you back and he's afraid of hurting you."

Her words stung, but Sydney refused to consider them. She had a feeling that Cate was reacting, not to Nigel being with another woman, but the idea that he would no longer be there for her. "You had your chance, Cate and you blew it, so don't you dare come in here and try to ruin what Nigel and I have!"

"That's just it! You don't have anything!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Sydney, if you had anything solid between you, he wouldn't have been all over me at his apartment."

Sydney's hands fisted at her sides. "What do you mean?"

"I told you earlier, we almost had sex, but I ended it when I found out he was married to you. I'm not trying to hurt you, but you have to understand that he…" Cate never believed in God, but if He existed, she was surely going to hell for her next words. "He isn't in love with you."

Only Sydney's experience and training kept her from recoiling from the verbal slap. "You can't know that."

"I'm sorry, but I do. Sydney. He told me as much."

Fear, heartache, pain, nausea and betrayal swelled in Sydney's heart. "I don't believe you."

"Think about it. When you're hunting a relic do you continue on the path you're on if the clues don't add up, or do you discard your prior thinking and go look for something else?"

"It isn't the same thing!"

Sydney couldn't believe how viciously Cate had turned on her. She had thought they were friends, despite the issues with Nigel, Sydney had always treated Cate as a friend. Now she was paying for it, because the agent knew her well enough to use that knowledge against her.

"It is! God, how can such a smart woman be so incredibly dense? If he loved you then he would have told you! He wouldn't be hiding from you and getting drunk!"

"He's confused!" Sydney snapped, appalled that she had driven Nigel to drink. "You don't understand…"

"Of course he's confused!" Cate tossed angrily. "You can't be friends with a man for…what a decade? Mark all the boundaries firmly of what that friendship is, and then suddenly up and alter the rules and expect him to change how he feels about you. That's not being fair to Nigel or yourself."

"He's just afraid of losing our friendship…."

"Oh, Sydney, get your head out of the sand!" Cate demanded, hating herself for resorting to such pettiness, but too afraid of losing Nigel to stop. She had to use everything in her arsenal because this woman before her was a hard act to beat. "No man, not even Nigel, would want to be known as Mr. Sydney Fox!"

"At least I don't make a career of pretending to be someone else!" Sydney retorted, despite the wound Cate's words had caused. It was her greatest fear; that Nigel would feel intimidated, dominated or overshadowed by her. She didn't want that, she had never wanted that. "Nigel can't love a ghost, Cate and that's all you are. A shadow of whatever person you're portraying for the moment, with no substance, no life, and no heart."

Cate retaliated in anger. "It wasn't a ghost he was kissing and undressing earlier this evening, Sydney, and he certainly didn't act like a man in lo…"

Sydney's reaction was instantaneous as she swung out and caught Cate across the jaw with a solid right hook. To her credit, the agent retained her balance and swung out at Sydney just as hard, but was blocked.

"I don't want to fight you, Syd…oof!" Cate winced as Sydney's bare foot slammed into her ribcage and shoved her back against the wall. She knew it might come to this, but hadn't been prepared for Sydney's ferocity. She truly didn't want to hurt Sydney, and she found herself holding back. Regardless of everything else, they had been friends and she did respect Sydney.

"Yes you do," Sydney hissed as she lunged for the agent, only to grasp air as Cate dropped to the floor, rolled and came up behind Sydney to apply a choke hold. "That's the only…_uhhnnn_… reason you're…_urk_… here!"

"I'm trying to…" Cate grunted as Sydney's elbow landed in her solar plexus. "Make you…OW!" She released her hold on Sydney's neck to pry away the fingers that yanked at her hair. "Damn it, Sydney! Stop this and list…" Her breath whooshed out of her as she was suddenly airborne, then slammed onto the floor.

"You almost got him killed!" Sydney growled as she tried to perform an elbow drop, only to have Cate roll out of the way and scramble to her feet, too far gone now to stop. All her past resentments towards Cate, all the anger and disappointment she'd felt at one time or another flooded to the surface; finally released from its festering cocoon. "You almost got me killed! All you ever think about is your damn mission and how it can elevate your status. You have no idea what real love is!"

"What do you know of it, Sydney?" Cate snapped, backing away so she could catch her breath and wishing she had brought her gun, ashamed at the very thought of using it on Sydney. "You've had everything you've ever wanted. You've never had anything taken away from you, or had to make the choice to walk away so you could save an entire country of people you've never met!" She wiped at the blood on her lip.

"I've had plenty taken from me, Cate, and the fact that you don't know that proves how self absorbed you are! Everything I have I've worked for, sacrificed for and I had to give up plenty to get where I am, but I'll be damned if I'll regret one moment of it! Being where I am, who I am has made it possible for me to restore pieces of history to the world that could have remained hidden forever. It's allowed me to mold young minds and introduce new ideas and above all it's brought me the respect of people that I admire more than anything in the world, including Nigel Bailey. Unlike you I have no regrets over my life choices, because I am exactly who I want to be."

"So what? Nigel is just the next step in the cosmic plan you've mapped out?" Cate huffed. "Go to school, become a teacher and hunter of relics, bask in fame and glory and then get a husband when you have the opportunity? You're using him, Sydney! Admit it. He's convenient, that's all."

"You're going to stand there and accuse me of using Nigel when you've been leading him on for years? Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black, Cate? We all know that you were using Nigel, and once you got your kicks you abandoned him, tossed him aside and made him think he wasn't good enough for any woman." Sydney moved forward, so fast that Cate barely had the time to catch the fist that came at her.

Cate caught Sydney's wrist and twisted, but Sydney was just as quick with her other hand and started to pull her off balance.

"It may take me time…" She grunted as Cate delivered a solid blow to her stomach, but went with the momentum the blow set her body to and shoved her head into Cate's middle, crashing them both into the wall. "I…It may take effort…" She allowed Cate to catch her on the cheek, but only so she could trap the agent's arm in a severe twist that was quickly pulled behind Cate's back. "But I am…" She shoved Cate face first into the wall. "Going to help him realize the wonderful man he is." Her hold tightened and she heard Cate cry out from the pressure she was exerting on her arm as she physically propelled Cate towards the door. "That wonderful man you tried to destroy with your selfishness, and whether it is with me or with someone else, he will have that confidence to love someone again."

Cate cried out as she was shoved into the hall and just managed to stop her momentum before hitting the gate of the elevator. She spun around, cradling her sore arm and in a last, desperate attempt spat. "He doesn't love you, Sydney. Any feelings he has for you is just because you remind him of me and nothing else. He can't have me, so he's turned to you. Face it, you're just a substitute."

Sydney stood in the doorway of her loft, a furious Amazon with her wild hair, her robe gaping open to show her tank top and shorts and a bruise starting to form on her left cheek. "You're wrong," she returned with a softness that promised more danger than gentility. "I knew that Nigel wanted me from the start. If anyone is a substitute, Cate, it's you."

She realized that she had seen it in his eyes, in his manner and the way he seemed so shy around her at first, but she'd chosen to think it was just a school-boy crush; too afraid that an affair with him would end up the same as with her last assistant, Instead, she'd chosen to ignore their attraction to each other and shut down his occasional sparks of affection because of past mistakes. She'd been a fool.

"He doesn't want you now," Cate insisted. "You can't just claim him like a prized pig because you finally caught up to the situation. He only thinks of you as a friend, you trained him to think of you as a friend and nothing else, and you can't just up and change that, Sydney!"

"One thing I've learned in working with Nigel, Cate, is that change can be something to be feared, or something to be embraced." A sense of serenity enveloped Sydney as she spoke the words, for in her heart she accepted the truth. "I know him better than you do, and I think he does feel the same way for me as he did before, he's just tried to bury it."

"And if he doesn't? Will you toss him aside as you claim I have?"

"No. I will never do that. As my partner, or as my lover, Nigel will always have a place in my life, Cate, and that is the biggest difference between us. I will accept what Nigel offers and I'll only take as much or as little as he feels he can give me, without demands or the risk of consequences, because I love him and only want him to be happy."

Cate straightened and pressed the button for the elevator. "You're wrong. I'll call him in a few months and we'll see who he chooses, Sydney. He has never said no to me."

"He has to me," Sydney admitted. "Because he knows he can and nothing will change between us. He knows that I will still be here for him, even if I don't get everything I want all the time. He doesn't need you anymore, Cate."

Cate bowed her head, knowing she had lost, not only the love of her life, but two of her closest friends. "I hope you're right," she sighed. "I never wanted it to be this way, Syd."

"What about Tia?" Sydney asked, suddenly.

"I'll do what I can. I gave Nigel my word." Cate stepped into the elevator as it arrived and turned to face Sydney again. "I do love him, you know?"

"I know, Cate," Sydney admitted, regretting the friendship that was now lost. "But he couldn't wait for you forever."

Cate nodded solemnly as the elevator door closed.

* * *

Nigel entered the Ancient Studies office at 8:45 the following morning and immediately looked towards, Sydney's office. It was closed, which meant that she was not in yet.

Karen rose and offered him a smile. "Morning, handsome." she greeted as he wandered to his desk and flopped down in his chair. "Rough night?"

"I don't remember," he admitted and wished that the bloody jackhammer riding across his brain would give it a rest. He'd had far too many beers last night, and he knew better than to do that, especially on a work day, but he'd needed to do something to keep from exploding.

He barely remembered talking to some bloke about his problems, and then he thought Cate had come round to his place, but he couldn't for the life of him remember what had been done or said.

He woke on his sofa with his shirt off and his pants undone, but other than that seemed no more the worse for wear; although he couldn't stop wondering if Cate had really been there and if anything had happened between them. His dreams had been filled with Sydney and it was hard differentiating what had been reality and what had not.

Sydney hadn't called him, so she had respected his need to be alone for awhile, but he missed hearing her voice, even if it had only been for one day. He had managed to resist the urge to call her, as well, because damn it to hell, when he had a problem to work out he talked to Sydney, only this time he couldn't.

His anxiety was so high this morning that he'd had to dress himself twice, because the first time he'd dressed in his pajama bottoms and a sweater before starting out the door. "Has….Sydney called?"

"Nope, but she'll probably be in, any minute." Karen scowled and perched on his desk. "Didn't you guys come in together?"

"No. No, I…I've moved back to my place."

"Is everything okay? What about your visa?"

He realized that they hadn't even had the chance to tell Karen the news. "It's been approved."

She beamed and threw her arms around him. "That's great, Nigel! You must be so relieved?"

Sydney walked in to see them hugging and was instantly hurt and enraged. She'd had almost no sleep because she missed Nigel's presence beside her, and because she couldn't sleep, Cate's words kept running around in her head. What if Cate had been right and Nigel couldn't or wouldn't love her back? What if she'd blown the one chance she'd had to be with him?

Her jealousy got away from her before she could stop it. "Karen, I believe your desk is over here."

Karen straightened and shot Sydney a surprised look. "I know where my desk is."

"Then maybe you should get behind it." Sydney stalked over to her office and quickly unlocked it. "Nigel, I need to speak with you. Now."

Nigel offered Karen an apologetic glance as he reluctantly followed Sydney inside her office and closed the door. He watched her toss her briefcase in the chair and put her phone on busy, then pull the blinds on her window.

"Syd, I don't…I don't want you to be angry with me," he began.

He'd spent most of yesterday trying to think of a way to explain his fears to her, at least until the alcohol started killing off his brain cells. He needed a way to fix this ghastly situation and after several speeches to himself in the mirror, he thought he was prepared to deal with her. The moment she walked in and started barking he knew he wasn't nearly ready, but ready or not, here they were.

"I know I said some things yesterday and I apologize for them…"

"Are you sleeping with her?"

"What? Who?"

"Karen! Don't pretend…" She realized how unfair she was being, how much she sounded like a jealous lover and immediately dropped into her chair and covered her face with her hands. "I'm sorry. I don't know why…why I said that." Yes she did, because that damn Cate had planted seeds of doubt in her heart and she couldn't get them out.

Nigel stared at her, helplessly. "There is nothing between Karen and me. There never has been, beyond a mild flirtation."

"I know," she moaned, dropped her arms on her desk and rested her head upon them. "I'm sorry. I didn't sleep well."

She had tried. She'd had two more glasses of wine and soaked in her tub, but could not relax. She'd missed having Nigel in the bed beside her, missed the gentle sound of his breathing as he slept, or the curl of his arm as it slid around her sometimes in his sleep.

She missed waking up with him, and instead watched the sun rise alone and did her best not to cry. Her pillows and sheets still smelled of him, his toothbrush and razor were still lying on the shelf over her sink and she found herself playing with them that morning.

She'd been so busy mooning over her loss that she ended up late for work, only to walk in and find Karen hugging Nigel. Eyes bleary from no sleep, her head pounding and her stomach knotted she'd immediately assumed the worse and took it out on the person she loved most. It had to be love, because nothing else could feel this rotten.

She almost cried when she felt the soothing touch of his hand smoothing her hair, because she knew how worried and confused he was about his own feelings, and how wary he must be of her because she had confessed her love for him; yet he still had to comfort her.

She sat up and rubbed her hands over her face. "I'm just over tired. I'll apologize to Karen for being a bitch, as soon as I can manage to stand up-right again." She caught his hand and forced a smile at his concerned gaze. "I promise."

"Syd, you should go home."

"We have work to do."

"You're exhausted." Nigel perched on her desk, facing her. "Go home and go get some rest."

Sydney took in the shadows and paleness of his own features. "Only if you come with me." She watched him flush as he started to rise, and held tighter to his hand. "To sleep, Nigel. Looks like we both could use it."

"I…I didn't have a very good night either."

"I missed you," Sydney sighed, released his hand and sat back. "I got used to you being in the bed."

He nodded. He was sure he would have felt the same, had he not fallen into a drunken stupor. "It's hard to…to go back."

"Would you like to have dinner tonight?"

"Syd…" She said she'd give him time, why was she pushing him already?

"I have such a craving for that sausage dish you made, what was it called again?"

Nigel felt a smile tug at his lips. "Toad in the Hole."

"If I pick up the fixings will you make it for us later?"

"Syd…"

She sat forward and touched his arm. "It's just dinner, Nigel. We've had dinner together before."

"I know." But it felt like she might expect more than dinner, and if he was honest with himself, he wanted her to expect and perhaps receive more. That thought alarmed him even further. "I just…"

"Need more time?" She fell back into her chair again. "I am trying, Nigel, but you said you wanted us to still be partners and friends. We can't do that if you're afraid to be alone with me."

"I'm not!" He bristled before he could stop it. "I'm alone with you now."

"Karen is in the outer office and could walk in at any time, so you're safe now."

"Syd! I…I'm not afraid of you for God's sake!"

"I think you are." She stood and pushed away from her chair. "I think you're afraid of what you might feel if you actually let yourself feel it."

He growled and also rose. "And you're trying to push me into something I'm not ready for!"

"Ready or not, Nigel, it's here!"

"You promised I could have some time to…"

"That was before I went home to an empty loft and an empty bed and stayed awake all night missing you." And had a knock down-drag-it-out fight with his former lover, but she kept that to herself. "Then I came in and found you fondling our secretary!"

"She gave me a bloody hug because my Visa was approved! I was hardly snogging her in the middle of the office!"

"It wouldn't be the first time you did a little snogging in the office!"

"Sydney!" He gaped at her, startled by the low blow. "That is not fair!"

"I know!" she barked, still angry, even as she slumped back into her chair and grabbed a pencil from her cup to fiddle with. "I can't help it. Every time I think of you with another woman I just…" The pencil between her fingers snapped in half and she looked at the two pieces, startled.

Nigel tried to ignore the delicious excitement her show of jealousy caused inside of him. He dropped his hands on her desk. "I don't know what to do, Syd. I don't know what to say or how….I would never cheat…" He groaned because that word, the very sound of it leaving his lips immediately annoyed him.

He couldn't cheat on her when they weren't in a real relationship, regardless of their promise to stay away from sex with other people while they were married.

"I know!" She tossed the pencil in the trash and picked at her fingernails in an attempt to reign in her temper.

Finally, she lifted her eyes to his gaze. "What did you do last night that has you looking so rough?" Would he confess to being with Cate?

"Not much. I was upset and…and I tried to figure things out by walking home, but it was so…empty there." He lowered her eyes because she had said much the same thing earlier about her flat, and slid into the guest chair. "Anyway, I…I caught the bus to a pub downtown and got piss-eyed."

"Nigel."

"I know it wasn't the right thing to do, or the most mature, but I…I didn't think on it that much."

"I didn't mean to drive you to drink for heaven's sake!"

"You didn't!" He sat forward and started to reach for her hand and then pulled back, because now things were different and he didn't want her reading anything into the times he touched her. "It was my own fault, completely my choice and had nothing to do with you. Truly." Well, mostly.

"How did you get home?"

He squirmed in the chair. "I…I'm not sure."

"Oh?"

"I…I can't remember everything, Syd. I…I think…and I can't be sure, but I think Cate may have been at my flat."

"To talk?"

"I don't know. You know how I am after a few. I woke up on my sofa with my shirt off and my trousers unfastened, but I…I honestly don't know if it was real or if it was a dream."

"You think you had sex with her?"

"I…I've no idea. Honestly." He hung his head, ashamed and wondered why he was even telling her this? Because she deserved to know, that was why, because he didn't feel good when he lied to Sydney, even little lies. "I don't remember."

"Well, you've had sex with her before, so it shouldn't matter if you did or not this time."

"It would matter, Syd."

"Why?" She needed to hear him say it, needed it to sooth the doubts that Cate's words had created, and he needed to admit that much to himself.

He lifted his gaze to hers and held. "Because it would hurt you, and because I don't want…that with her anymore."

"Who do you want…that with, Nigel?"

"You know who."

Sydney felt a tiny thrill, unlike any she had ever felt before. She'd been wanted by men before, but this time it was different. This time, it was Nigel who wanted her, and that made it so much more important.

She could tell from Nigel's voice and the deep, intensity of his tone that he was miserable and appalled at the idea that he might have had sex with Cate and she had to give him credit for being honest with her. "You didn't, you know?."

"Didn't what?"

"Have sex with Cate."

He sat up straighter. "How…how do you know…?"

"She came to see me to…to tell me that…nothing happened." She would never tell Nigel how Cate had betrayed him by lying to her, by trying to win him back through deceit. Her original decision to not trust the agent's words was vindicated when she watched the relief light Nigel's eyes.

"Thank God."

She smiled and rose to walk around her desk and perch on the edge in front of him. "So, are you going to make us dinner or not?"

"Are you going to accost me and drag me to your bed if I do?"

She smirked. "It's always a possibility." She ruffled his hair. "But only if you're willing."

"And…and there'll be no talk of…other things?"

"I promise."

"Okay." He paused as he rose. "But I'm not bringing you flowers."

She laughed.


	34. Chapter 34

DISCLAIMER: RH. Not mine. Please don't sue. Thanks for all the past reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last. Cheers!

**CHAPTER 34**

Nigel and Sydney entered her loft with the fixings for Toad in the Hole later that evening and the Englishman was almost assaulted by a ball of fur that ran up the side of his slacks and into his arms, purring wildly.

"I've only been gone a day, you foolish beast!" he laughed in delight and awarded Maftet the cuddles and stroking she demanded.

"She was wandering all yesterday crying because she couldn't find you," Sydney advised as she moved into the kitchen and started pulling groceries from the bag. "I think she likes you better than she likes me!"

Nigel smiled and set the cat on the floor with one final ear rub. "I'm sure that's not true." It felt like coming home, entering her loft again, and that disturbed him. They definitely needed some time apart.

He entered the kitchen and retrieved a large mixing bowl as Maftet hopped up on the counter and tried to get his attention again. "Here now, stop that. Not on the counter." He plucked her up and set her on the floor again, then tried not to trip over her as she wound lovingly between his legs.

Sydney laughed as she set up the pan for the sausages on the stove. "What do you need me to do?"

"Um…" He thought for a moment. "Scuttle three eggs for me."

Sydney did so, deliciously happy to have him back in her home, but trying her best to keep it light, at least until they had time to discuss the real reason she had asked him home with her.

She whisked three eggs in a cereal bowl then set on the counter as Nigel measured out the remaining ingredients for the dish. "What next?"

"I have to make the mixture first and it has to set for awhile before I can start the rest." He whisked together flour, salt and a pinch of pepper in a large bowl.

Sydney reached for the bottle of Merlot she had purchased. "Wine?"

He shook his head, he'd had enough to drink last night. He retrieved a block of butter from the refrigerator, cut a portion off, then set it in a small dish and popped it into the microwave.

Sydney settled at the breakfast counter with her glass of wine, and smiled. Nigel looked like he belonged in her kitchen. Was that sexist? She didn't care if it was, he looked yummy and all he needed was an apron that said Kiss the Cook.

"I had a weird dream the other night, want to hear about it?"

"Okay."

"Well, I was lazing in the waters back home in Hawaii, on one of those floating mattresses. The strange thing was I wasn't wearing a swim suit, I was actually dressed for an arctic expedition."

"Odd." Nigel raised his eyebrows as retrieved the butter from the microwave and glanced at her. "Were you cold?"

"I didn't feel cold in the dream, I was actually quite comfortable, just felt a little confined."

"You're right, that is a weird dream."

"There's more."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "So, I'm drifting in the water, watching the clouds go by and I hear this strange chattering sound. I look down and I see the cutest little critter standing on my chest, wearing khakis, a Gone Fishing T-shirt and huge black reading glasses."

Nigel paused. "Was it a chipmunk?"

She gaped at him. "How did you know?"

"You kept on about a chipmunk when you were…when we found you on the boat." He turned back to the mixture he'd started, made a careful a hole in the center of the flour and folded in the eggs, milk, and melted butter. "You said he warned you about the big bad wolf or something."

"Really?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "Huh. Anyway, he's standing there, chattering away, but I can't understand what he's saying because…"

"You don't speak chipmunk," Nigel finished with a grin as he finished stirring the Toad mixture together, covered it and set it on the counter.

"Exactly! So he's trying to tell me something but I can't figure out what it is. Suddenly the sky gets really dark and I think a storm is coming. So I sit up intending to paddle in, but when I sit up I'm not on the raft anymore, I'm in a deep hole."

"Oh, Syd." Nigel's expression softened in concern as he walked over and braced his arms on the breakfast counter from the other side; she was obviously reliving past events through her dreams. "Were you frightened?"

"No. That's the thing, my chipmunk was still with me so I wasn't scared at all. He scrambled up the side of the hole and disappeared and a few moments later a rope appeared and I climbed out. When I climbed out, I had my regular clothes on, and we were on an island."

"What happened then?" Nigel asked intrigued.

"I heard a noise and when I turned I saw a group of raiders riding towards me, so we started running…"

"We?"

"The chipmunk and me."

"Ah. Continue."

"We came to the end of a cliff and had to jump."

"That's frightening."

"I didn't want to. I was scared then, really scared. It was this expansive canyon, I could hear water, but I couldn't see it. The raiders were getting closer and I couldn't see the bottom of the canyon."

"So you jumped?"

She nodded. "I had to, my chipmunk dove over my shoulder and I had to go after him."

"Then what happened?"

"I woke up."

Nigel scowled. "I'm sorry you had a bad dream, Syd."

She shrugged and smiled. "It's okay, because I woke up and you were lying next to me and I wasn't scared anymore."

Nigel flushed, ridiculously pleased and reached for the wine, maybe one glass wouldn't hurt. "We have to wait a bit before I can finish making dinner," he said as he retrieved a wine glass and poured himself a generous portion. "Did you call Roger Stubing back?

"Yes. He thinks he has found a dagger from ancient Atlantis."

Nigel winced. Roger was a good fellow, and an expert in Ancient Greek and Mesnoamerican cultures, but he was also ridiculously gullible at times. "You think it's a forgery?"

"Fairly sure, but he said he will courier it over and we can check it out. His source..." She sliced quotation marks in the air with her fingers. "Says it's the real deal and was found on a dive at Bimini Road."

"Has he had it dated?"

"He's tried twice but for some reason the results are coming out incomplete."

Nigel's eyebrows rose. "Could be because it's been underwater for so long."

"Or because it's been sealed with wax and then soaked in salt water to screw with the results."

Nigel nodded. "I'm sure you'll be able to tell, when you see it, Syd. You can smell a fake relic."

"Why thank you, Nigel." She smiled and rested her chin on her hand. "And now the time has come to talk…of many things. Of shoes, and ships, and sealing-wax…"

"Of cabbages, and kings," Nigel finished with a shy smile as Maftet jumped onto the breakfast bar and bumped his cheek with her head. "You're being a pest," he reminded the cat, even as his hand stroked the length of her back and she purred in appreciation. "Why did Cate really come here, Syd?"

Sydney was startled by his question. "I told you, to let me know nothing happened between you."

"As I was very intoxicated yesterday, it seems a lot of trouble for her to go through to drive over here and assure you against something she had to suspect I wouldn't remember." He reached forward and touched his finger to her cheek. "And it doesn't explain the bruise you're trying to hide either."

Sydney automatically pulled back and silently cursed. She'd thought her foundation had hidden it from view. "We….had a little disagreement."

"Did you think she and I had…been together?" He knew now that Sydney would be extremely upset, from her earlier jealousy with Karen.

In one way it made him feel special and perhaps a little proud that Sydney would be jealous over him, but it also made him feel slightly uncomfortable, as he wasn't yet sure how he felt. He'd been jealous over her a few times, how could he help it? But he had never admitted his jealousy to her. He always felt she would feel ashamed of him for assuming he had any right to feel that way.

Now, he wondered if he should tell her of his past digressions, because of she had been brave enough to confess to him. Still, he was worried what her reaction would be, if she would read more into it and expect more than he was prepared for. He sighed. A reasonably simple situation always changed when love entered the equation.

Sydney chewed on her bottom lip and played with the stem of her wineglass. "It doesn't matter. It's over now and she's gone."

"Sydney."

"I don't want to talk about it, Nigel."

"It can't be worse than what I'm imagining, so why can't you be honest with me?"

She glared at him. "I've been more honest with you than I have with anyone, Nigel!" she snapped, hurt. "And all it's gotten me is a slap back and sleepless nights."

Nigel bowed his head. He didn't want to talk about that. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Sydney," he insisted quietly. "But nor can I tell you something just because you need to hear it. That would only make things worse."

"If you don't love me, just say so and we can move on!"

"Move on?" His head snapped up. "Is that what you think we'll do? Move on to where, Sydney? How can we move on with this between us?"

"It's love, Nigel, not a contagion! Not a confession of infidelity or…murder!"

He stared at her, helplessly, wishing he could make her understand. He shouldn't have come tonight. He should have waited because Sydney was obviously still raw from his initial reaction. He didn't want to hurt her, he never wanted to hurt her, but he wouldn't promise something he didn't feel until he was sure; not even to keep her from suffering.

"When I became your assistant, you...you asked me to do a lot of things on faith," he began as he stared into his wine. "You asked me to risk my life, to put it in your hands and I did, without question."

"And my life was also in your hands, Nigel." She reached for his hand. "And now, so is my heart."

He immediately pushed his wine away and stepped back. "Syd, I know this isn't easy for you, or fair, but I just can't..." He broke off, knowing that if he continued, his words would crush her. "I thought I was in love before, twice actually. I was made a fool of for my trouble, and while I know you would never deliberately do that me, I can't help..."

"Thinking I will?" Sydney finished quietly. "I've been hurt too, Nigel, but you can't stop risking your heart because it's been hurt or you'll never be happy."

"And you can't ask me to promise something that I'm not ready to promise! My mind has always been my best asset, Syd, but my heart..." He swallowed hard and worked to get his emotions under control. He didn't like these kinds of conversations, he didn't like revealing his deepest weaknesses; not even to Sydney. "My heart has been fooled before. All it has done is land me in a bad place and I can't trust it to be…be honest with me now, just because you think it should."

"I'm not asking you to do that. I just want you to talk to me, to tell me how you feel…"

"How I feel?" He threw his hands up in frustration. "I'm bloody well all over the place, Sydney! I can't get a solid grip on any of my feelings, long enough to distinguish them. Do you….Do you want me to tell you I miss living with you? Well, I do, of course I do. I miss you even when we aren't living together, Syd. I always looked forward to the next day because I know I would be seeing your shining face and we'd be set for another great adventure!"

"Nigel…"

"I think about you constantly, is that what you need to hear? I want you, with every fiber of my being and it is taking all my self control not to pick throw you over my shoulder and bring you up those stairs so we can spend the evening in each other's arms!"

Sydney flushed with pleasure.

"I worry about you when you go off on your own without me, and I…I hate it when one of your ex-boyfriends show up. Does that mean I'm in love with you? I don't know, because I also miss Karen when I am not around her, and worry about her, and I desperately miss Claudia sometimes as well. I don't like the idea of either of them dating, but I don't know if that means that I am jealous of not having their attention, or just that I worry the bloke might hurt them; especially with Claudia because she is so easily mislead." He started to pace, agitated. "Does that mean I am in love with them? I'm attracted to them both, I'm attracted to most women, does that mean I'm in love with each of them?"

"Nigel, no, I…"

"You can't tell me what love is. I have to figure it out and because I have been fooled before I have to be careful and not mistake it for a very strong…affection. Do you understand that, Syd? Do you understand that I adore and desire many people, but I can only be in love with one of them, and so I have to peel away all the other layers of like and lust and admiration and find something….something more…there at the bottom what seems like an endlessly deep well."

Sydney regarded him for a long moment, digesting his words, knowing how very difficult they had been for him to admit. "I love you, Nigel and I know you love me…" When he started to protest she held up her hand. "However you feel about me, it's still a form of love." She sighed. "Neither of us wants to hurt the other, and I'm sorry if that is what I am doing."

"I hate that this is hurting _you_, Syd."

The turmoil in his voice had her coming around to his side and putting her arms around him. "It's okay," she soothed and held him tight. "It's hard for me not to…push sometimes, and I'm sorry. I just…I just thought you already…" She kissed his cheek and pulled back, leaving the rest unsaid. "I'm doing my best."

He nodded, glumly and stared at the floor.

Sydney caught his chin and gently forced him to meet her gaze. "Do you really think you could carry me up those stairs?"

He scoffed and allowed her a small smile. "Not a chance."

"Would you like me to carry you?" she teased.

"You've no idea how much," he sighed and rested his forehead against hers.

"Nothing stopping us, really."

"Yes…there is."

She pulled back and showed him her serious face. "No, Nigel. There isn't."

"We can't, Syd. You…I mean…it will…I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"As I recall there was no pain involved last time, except the deliciously sweet kind."

He flushed. "It's not fair to…to you."

"Because you think I'll fall even more in love with you and assume that sex will become lovemaking, thus proving that you are head over heels for me, right?"

"No, because your have every right to assume or expect more after you've told me…what you've told me, especially if we then we go to bed. I'm not that callous, Sydney. I don't want to make anything more difficult for you. It wouldn't be honorable to….to use you that way."

And that was exactly why Sydney knew she would be okay with having sex with him, because she would understand that he wasn't promising her anything more, and nor did he want to injure her in anyway. "If I promise you I'll feel fine about it, will you come upstairs with me?"

"No, because you'd be lying."

She smirked. "What about you then? It's not fair for you to…abstain just because I'm a little emotional, is it?"

"That's besides the point," he retorted. "I've far more practice at…" He flushed as he realized what he had been about to admit to. "Can we discuss something else?"

She laughed and, unable to resist, pressed her lips to his. She felt his resistance for all of four seconds before his mouth welcomed her in. He did want her, that was obvious, and she wanted him, badly. There was no need for them both to suffer.

Nigel tried to keep his hands to himself, really he did, but before he knew it one had crept up to cup her neck and adjust the angle of their kiss, as another slid around to the small of her back to pull her closer.

Sydney's heart-rate quickened as she wound her arms around his neck and pulled him flush against her, stumbling as the added weight pushed them back against the counter. "Nigel!" she gasped when he released her, only to capture her waist and lift her onto the counter. She eagerly wrapped her legs around him, pulled her into what would be a perfect position, and reached between them for the button to his pants.

"Wait!" Nigel caught her wrists and held them between them. "We…we can't!"

"Yes, we can!" she encouraged and locked her ankles, stubbornly, pressing her heat against him. "We have to!" It felt as if they hadn't had sex in months, instead of just a few days.

"I don't want…"

"You do want!" She pulled her hands away and got at his pants again, slipping her hand inside even as she claimed his mouth again.

Nigel was lost. Who could withstand the storm that was a randy Sydney Fox? He let go of his control, his inhibitions and gave into what they both so obviously craved. It was quick, filled with fire and heat, scorching skin and burning desire, mixed with gasps of surprise and the subtle taste of wine.

Afterwards, he held onto her and she to him, he for support against his suddenly weak legs, her to anchor her to the Earth and keep her from flying apart again.

"Syd," he moaned against her throat. He needed her, he'd always suspected that, but need wasn't love. He wanted to tell her, knowing she wanted to hear it, but he couldn't get the words out. They weren't the words she needed him to say, and so he swallowed them. "God, Syd."

"Likewise," she whispered clinging to him, her body still trembling from the terrific force of her release. She held onto him, and prepared for the sting when she asked her question, but she couldn't not ask. "Stay the night?"

He was silent, not wanting to cause her pain or refuse her, but he really needed some time to think. Lying next to her in bed would not in any way help him get a handle on things, it would only confuse him more. "I can't," he whispered as gently as possible. "But…" He paused and considered his next words carefully, wanting to offer her something at least, offer them both something really. "I can…try to carry you upstairs…if you like?"

She pulled back and met his gaze, stung by his refusal to stay, yet warmed by his offer to seduce her again. "I'll take it."

He smiled and, surprising them both, stepped back enough to adjust his clothes, before sliding his arms beneath her legs and shoulders and sliding off the counter. "If you squirm I will drop you," he warned as he slowly started for the stairs. "So try to be still."

Sydney stayed as still as she could, and did her best to keep from distributing her full weight upon him, especially as they started up the stairs. It wasn't exactly the fairytale she had hoped for, but it was better than nothing.

* * *

Sydney finished off the last bite of the sausage casserole and sat back in her chair. She had to give Nigel credit; he was pretty damn satisfying in the kitchen, in more ways than one. "That was delicious, Nigel. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Syd."

"No, really." She grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. "Thank you, for _everything_."

"Stop it," he warned her by pointing his fork.

He'd be lying if he said he hadn't loved every minute of taking Sydney on the kitchen counter, and then again in her bedroom, but his sense of honor and decorum would not allow a discussion of such things at the dinner table.

She pretended to pout, but she felt too damn good, after their romp upstairs, to pull it off. Nigel seemed intent on making it wonderful for them both, and she sensed it was, in a way, an apology for refusing to stay the night with her. If so then she would accept his apology, because it had been fantastically satisfying for them both.

She smiled with her thoughts and rose. "Will you come out to the terrace with me?"

He wiped his mouth with his napkin and sat back, warily. "Why?" He wasn't into public displays, he didn't care how high up they were. There was always some pervert who would find a way to spy on you.

"There was another reason I asked you to dinner…"

"Yes, I noticed and we are not doing _that_ on your terrace."

She grinned and held out her hand to him. "Besides that one."

"On one condition." He set his napkin on the table and crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell me why you and Cate fought?"

"We didn't…"

"Sydney! I know what bruises and scars you've received recently and exactly from where they came. You have very near a black eye and bruising on your collarbone and ribs. You did not have them yesterday, so where did they come from?"

"I…fell in the shower?"

He stared at her and waited.

"Nigel, it doesn't matter…"

"Of course it matters!" He rose, annoyed. "I want to know why two of my friends, who also happen to be women I care about are suddenly UFC opponents!"

"You're still in love with Cate?"

"I will always care about Cate, but no, I am not. Haven't we already been over this?"

"Nigel, you really don't want to know…"

"I will know and you will tell me, or I will walk out that door and you can keep whatever other deeds you have in mind for this evening to yourself!"

Sydney growled and turned away from him, thinking now that she shouldn't have been so eager to be naked around him. Damn Cate for landing those shots! "You're not usually so aggressive," she countered grimly.

"I'm not usually so furious, either!"

She shot her gaze towards him, focused on his flashing eyes and the firm grip of his jaw. Wow! He really was angry. "I didn't hurt your precious, Cate!" she snapped, growing angry herself at being forced to tell him the truth, and angrier still that he was upset over another woman besides. "She'll have some bruises too, maybe a few more than me, but she walked out of here intact!" Well, if you counted being thrown out walking, she added silently.

"Why?"

"Because she was being a bitch!"

"Sydney!"

"She was! She came over here to tell me she'd been at your place, and that you had been all over _her_ places!"

Nigel flushed to his toes, but was too angry to let it fluster him beyond the blushing.

"She told me that you told her you didn't, couldn't love me and so I needed to back off and let her have you."

"Why would she say that?" he demanded, confused. "None of that happened, Sydney…"

"How do you know? You don't even remember if you had sex with her, for God's sake!"

"I know I would never have said that to her, pissed or sober," he insisted. "Cate….Cate never wanted me for more than a dalliance, Syd. I may have let her lead me on, in the beginning, like an idiot, but it most certainly has not taken me five years to figure out she felt nothing but physical attraction for me!"

Sydney knew this, she knew all of this because she knew Nigel. Even when Cate had tried to convince her, in her heart she knew it wasn't true, but still the words had burned, because Nigel had not committed to her either, and if Cate was in the picture, what chance did she have?

"I got angry and so did she. She kept pushing me Nigel and…and I finally had to push back." She slumped back into the dinette chair. "I should have told you, but I was trying to spare you. I didn't think you'd be so upset just because I may have…roughed her up a bit."

"I'm not upset over that, Syd." Nigel pulled a chair close to hers and settled facing her. "I'm sure Cate gave as good as she took, I just don't like the idea of you both fighting, certainly not over…me. You two are friends and no one should come between that."

"Oh, Nigel. I was never friends with Cate. Ever since she took you off to impersonate Ian Worthington and almost got you killed I've mistrusted her. Yes, she's helpful in certain situations, but that's because she's with Interpol. I…I tolerated her because I knew how you felt about her, that's all."

"Oh, Syd." Nigel's heart warmed in a way that he couldn't describe and he sat forward to hug her. "Why didn't you tell me?" He pulled back to look at her. "I was so angry with her when she let you get kidnapped by that madman Patel, I never forgave her for it, but you seemed to. I admit that I had mixed…feelings about her whenever she showed up, but mostly I was trying to be…" He shrugged. "I thought she was your friend, so I didn't want to cause any problems."

Sydney almost laughed at their assumptions. "God, are we stupid."

"It seems so." He sat back and cast a scolding look. "You still shouldn't have been fighting."

"Nigel, one thing you will have to know, if we go forward into any kind of relationship." She caught his hands and brought them to her chest. "I will always fight for what's mine."

He shook his head at her and tried to ignore the surge of belonging that her words created. "You're a menace."

"Thank you, Nigel." She beamed at him. "Now, about our discussion…"

He started to shake his head, he had enough to deal with already. "I honestly don't think I can take anymore discussions, Syd."

"You asked me yesterday to listen to you, now I need you to listen to me. Please?"

He took a deep breath and cursed himself. "You don't play fair, Syd." She knew that he wouldn't refuse her, not when she asked in such a manner.

She rose, took his hand and pulled him out to the terrace. "Have a seat," she said and lightly pushed him into a chair, then surprised him by picking up the cigar she had waiting for him on the table and lighting it for him.

"You really, really don't play fair," he grumbled but accepted the cigar and the light, then sat back and crossed one leg over the other. They had both been through too much for him not to listen, regardless of his own discomfort. "Go on then."

"Okay." Sydney clasped her hands together and stood with her back to the rail, suddenly nervous.

She'd thought about what she wanted to say all last night, worked it out in her mind, practiced in front of her mirror this morning and believed she was ready. The odd thing was, her hands were shaking and her knees felt weak, now that he was seated before her.

It was only Nigel, her Nigel, the Nigel that had survived dangerous situations, fantastic discoveries and intimate moments with her. And yet, she was terrified. What she was about to say, she never believed she would ever say to a man, and she fought to release the need for control that rose within her. Her words would cause her to relinquish some of her control and give it to Nigel. Best friend and partner or not, Sydney had never thought she would ever give over such an important part of herself to any man.

"I know this has been a shock for you," she began, trying to work up her courage. "I...I haven't been as patient or understanding as I should have been. I did consider waiting to tell you, but I don't believe it living in the past; not in my personal life anyway." She took a deep breath and reached behind her for the railing, using it as support while she face him. "So...it's out there and we both have to deal with it."

"Syd..."

She lifted her hand in warning. "I'm not finished." If he started talking, started offering her excuses or comfort she would have a reason not to continue and that would be the coward's way. "I understand you need time to consider it, even if it's a blow to my pride to be told you have to think about it."

"I never..." Nigel began instantly and started to rise.

"Please, Nigel. Wait...wait until I'm done."

He reluctantly settled back in his chair.

"The fact that you're more concerned about my feelings that your own right now is one of the main reasons I think I fell in love with you. You...you've always been there for me, Nigel. You've always been honest and true and helped me..." God this was hard! "Helped me discover my...flaws."

Nigel had to bite his lip then, to keep from denying her charge. He didn't want this. He didn't want her to humble herself before him, but he'd promised to listen until she was finished so what could he do?

"Because of this, because you've been so very proficient at...helping me manage my work while staying true to myself and admit to my...failings I think you've permanently cast yourself in the role of my assistant and that...that needs to change if we're going to go forward."

Nigel felt a hot flush of warning at her words and forgot about his cigar. She couldn't mean to sack him?

"I worked hard to become a professor, Nigel, harder still to break into the field of relic hunting and because I'd been betrayed for so many years by colleagues and friends; those who didn't think a woman should be in such a field, I went many years without an assistant. I felt I could do everything myself, needed to prove that I could, and I was too stubborn to admit that I couldn't. Then the university insisted I hire someone. The first two didn't work out very well, as you know, but in truth I didn't make it easy for them either. I was annoyed that anyone thought I needed help."

Nigel could understand how hard it must have been for her, trying to climb to the top in her field. Having studied in that field himself, he knew that female professors of Ancient History was treated more like librarians than actual colleagues. Great for information and insight, but not for any _real_ field work.

Despite the passing of the 20th century, some people did not accept change, and to be a female relic hunter, competing against ruthless and unscrupulous people that were working more for a pay day than historical significance, Sydney would have had her share of bullying and betrayals.

"After my last assistant used the fact that I was a woman against me, I absolutely refused to have another one. I honestly felt I was better off on my own." Again Sydney took a breath to calm herself. She had never admitted any of this to another living soul, it made her appear weak, something she was not fond of doing. "Then your application came across my desk, along with your picture. You looked so young and innocent and so completely unsuitable for the life I lead." She smiled slowly. "I thought you were perfect."

Nigel raised his eyebrows but remained silent.

"I thought, now here was someone that could be molded, someone that hadn't been jaded by any life experiences yet. Someone who would listen to me and respect me, because he'd have to, as he wouldn't know any better. Nigel, I hired you because I thought you could be whipped into shape as my assistant. As what I believes qualified as my assistant. Your qualifications were fantastic, of course, far better than I could have expected, but it actual reality, I hired you because I thought that I could control you. I did the same thing to you that so many others had done to me, and that wasn't fair."

Nigel flushed with anger, for all of thirty seconds, and then realized how hard it must have been for Sydney to admit that to him. He had seen first-hand the prejudices that she'd had to deal with, the same prejudices and dismissals he learned to deal with as her assistant.

Sydney had always been in the shadow of men and he had always been in the shadow of Sydney. He could certainly understand her frustration, but that did not mean he was pleased to have been hired as bloody gopher for her to play around with, someone that would sit at her heals and worship her the way she wanted to be worshiped.

Sydney dropped to her knees before him as she watched the flickering of expressions passing over his face and respected him even more for remaining silent because of her request. "I could finish by telling you that you proved my initial impression wrong and that you surpassed my expectations in more ways that I thought possible. I could tell you that I began to respect you for your deeds and your bravery and forgot all about myself, and that we formed a bond that was unbreakable and unlike any other I had ever had with another person, but you already know all of that. It doesn't excuse my initial behavior so instead I'll just ask...will you forgive me for not believing in you in the beginning? For even considering using you for my own ends and for ever, ever doubting your abilities?"

He looked at her hands as they grasped his, then lifted his gaze to meet hers. "Syd..." He shrugged helplessly; did she really expect him to deny her? "Whatever... whatever the reason or plan for your hiring me, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I will never, ever regret it because then I would have to regret the friendship we've shared and the treasures we've found and the lives we've helped save. Who can regret such things as that?"

She smiled in relief and pulled him in for a quick hug, before releasing him and rising again. "Good. Then, there's just one more thing I need to say."

"Will I need a drink for this part?"

"Maybe." This was the turning point for her, if she was brave enough to follow through. She needed to do this, to make things work, and also, to make up for the guilt she originally harbored towards him.

She picked up a manila envelope that had also been on the table and stood before him. "Nigel, I need to ask for your resignation as my assistant."

…to be continued…. ; - )


	35. Chapter 35

DISCLAIMER: RH not mine. Sorry for leaving you hanging, but you all seem to know me pretty well by now to know I wouldn't throw THAT severe a twist into a story; and risk being bludgeoned by my fans. Hope you enjoy this next part as much as you did the last and thank you all so very much, Celeste J. Evans, Harlezgirl, Supergirl, Mintnifer, Alez and Beatrix for the reviews! Keep them coming!

**CHAPTER 35**

Nigel gaped at Sydney in horror. He couldn't possibly have heard her properly. "S…sorry?"

"It's the only way, Nigel. Really."

He felt as if he'd been gutted with a dull knife. This was what he'd been afraid of when she first uttered those three little words, this was his worst nightmare come true. Instantly his emotions were in upheaval and he wondered if he should tell her he loved her just to save his position, or walk away with his honor intact?

Then reason prevailed and he suspected there was more behind her request. There had to be. Besides, even now, faced with such a terrifying loss, he could not admit to something he wasn't sure of.

"Why?" he demanded. "It's not because of this...of the uncertainty of my feelings, becasue you've too much integrity for that, so why all of a sudden, do you want me to resign?"

Sydney could kiss him! Most men would bluster and get upset. Technically, given their recent history and her emotional confession, her demand could be construed as sexual harassment, and she knew most would immediately jump on that bandwagon because of their own pride. But not Nigel. He knew her and he knew their relationship, regardless of their recent development into other areas.

She kept the smile off her face and handed him the envelope. "You need to resign as my assistant, so you can be hired, by the university, as a Professor of Ancient History and Antiquity Consultant."

He stared at her, stunned, but didn't move to open the envelope. "That...I...You..." Officially that was Sydney's title, did that mean she was quitting? "I…don't understand."

"I spoke with the Dean, actually I've been speaking with him on an off for over a year, since you got your masters." Sydney replied, his reaction proved that she had made the right decision and made relinquishing her coveted control much, much easier. "We both agreed, the Dean and I, that since you have teach a fair bit of my classes, and are responsible for just as many relics brought into the university as I am, you could no longer be classified as my assistant. Therefore, Trinity is offering you a full teaching position." She paused before continuing. "You would have full control over your own curriculum, your own classes and you would have your own office."

"I..." Nigel slid the contract out of the envelope and flipped through it, dazed. Finally, he lifted his gaze to hers. It was more than he could have dreamed! More than he ever imagined possible! "Are...are you...quitting, Syd?"

She grinned and shook her head. "No. You'll be teaching the undergrads and mine will still be the advanced classes."

"What...who...How will you do that? Who...who will be your TA if I...I mean...Syd, you...you can't expect to...you do still need some help and...and what about..."

Sydney shook her head as she handed him a pen. "I'll have to hire new TA's, of course, as we will both be busy with teaching and other things now."

Sydney wanted a new assistant? Did that mean he wouldn't be expected to go with her on the hunts anymore? Or help with her lesson plans? Or haul her ass from the fire? After a long moment, he slid the papers back into the envelope, unsigned, and set it on the table.

"No."

Sydney blinked, surprised. "Nigel, this is a dream job! You've worked hard for this, and you deserve it!"

"I don't..." His emotions bubbled to the surface so quickly he almost lost them all together. No one else would understand her the way he did. "_I'm_ your assistant! That's all I want to be!"

"You can't mean that..."

"I do! I can't believe you'd even ask me to..." He rose, agitated. "Do you really expect me to leave you with some...some amateur who might run at the first sign of trouble, or…or who'll betray your trust, or…They won't have your back, Syd, they won't understand the need….You have to have someone to depend on, to be there without question, no matter the circumstance so…so you can concentrate on the harder things, and…and I'll be hanged if I will allow you to go into the field with some jocked-up deviant who will be more interested in getting inside your knickers than keeping you from getting injured or killed!"

Sydney's entire body softened and she wondered if he could hear the deep seeded jealousy in his own voice. "Oh, Nigel." She stepped up and put her arms on his shoulders. "I'd be hiring a new TA, not a new partner."

"I...I don't understand." He dropped back in his chair. "You just said..."

"I said that if you take the position, which I really hope you do, I'd have to hire a new TA for the academic work, but not for the field, Nigel. There's only one person I want out there with me, one person I trust."

"So...I...I wouldn't have to stop being your assistant?"

"Yes you would, because you wouldn't be my assistant any more, Nigel, you'd be my colleague. We'd be equal at school and in the field and you'd have just as much say in what relics we chase, or if you even want to go with me."

Nigel was completely flabbergasted at the idea. He wouldn't have to listen to her if he didn't want to? He wouldn't have to go to some Godforsaken hell hole if he didn't chose to? He wouldn't be pigeonholed into the role of her assistant?

He realized how difficult it must be for her to offer him this...this power, especially after her earlier confession about hiring him. To give up so much of the control to him had to be agony for someone like Sydney; for anyone who had spent years needing to be in control to avoid being crushed. Not that she had been a brute or bully, but she was insistent about how she wanted things done and he had always gone along with that. Now, she was saying he wouldn't have to.

"I...I'm...I don't know what to say, Syd."

"Say yes if you want the position, no if you don't."

"Do...Don't you want me to stay as your...your assistant?"

She considered that question for a long moment. "No, Nigel." It would make any romance between them far more difficult, and not only that, she no longer thought of him as her assistant. "I want you as my partner. You haven't been my assistant for a very, very long time."

He sighed as he considered all she said, all she offered him as he clasped his hands together over his knees. "You're doing this because you want us to have a relationship, aren't you?" he asked, softly. "You think it will be...easier to manage if I no longer work for you? That my…That I'd find it easier to take that…personal step if we were on more even footing professionally?" He wasn't a fool. It was one very thin step away from manipulation.

Sydney wouldn't lie to him. She brought over the other chair and settled in front of him, pulled his hands apart and linked hers with them. "I won't say that it didn't factor into my decision, but honestly, Nigel, this was started long before I knew how I really felt about you, so please don't think it is the only reason."

He stared at their joined hands for so long he wondered if they might change color if he just kept looking. Because she had been honest with him, because she was always honest with him, he lifted his eyes to hers and reciprocated. "It would make things... easier," he admitted so quietly he wasn't sure she had heard him, until he saw the small smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "I...I can't say that it...my position hasn't factored into my...my..."

"Stark naked fear of having a relationship with me?"

He smirked and felt his cheeks grow warm. "I...I wouldn't say that...exactly."

"But you are worried about feeling subjugated or being hurt again."

"I'm sorry, Syd. I just...You're so very...important to me and the idea that I might...cock it up is...well..."

"It's okay." She squeezed his hands. "It is, really. I wanted to tell you about the Dean's offer and I wanted you to know my position on it. I wanted you to understand that, even if I do get a little pushy sometimes, it's only a reflex. I really, really..." She pulled back again, sensing he wouldn't want to hear it again. "Well, you know how I feel and I promised not to say it anymore, until you get a handle on things. I am trying to give you your space."

"I know you are, Syd. I do appreciate it, but I can't help feeling that my indecision is hurting you."

She touched her hand to his cheek. "You have to be sure. You have to be absolutely sure Nigel because when...if you return my love, there'll be no take backs. You'll have me, all of me, for as long as we walk this earth and you can be sure that I will never let you go."

He couldn't help smiling at her words, they made him feel so delightfully special. "I'll try to be quick about it, Syd."

"And I'll just have to wait." She smiled and leaned forward to lightly touch her lips to his, before rising, setting the chair back in place and handing him back the lit cigar. "Sign those papers so we can get started on decorating your new office, Professor."

He caught her arm and waited for her to turn back. "Regardless of whether I sign the contract or not, Syd…I already have an office." The smile she gave him was brighter than a thousand suns and he physically blinked at it.

"For that, you get an extra piece of cheese cake!"

"You have cheese cake?"

"I bought it yesterday to drown my sorrows, but now we have a much better use for it."

He watched her walk across the terrace and disappear inside, then he glanced at the envelope on the table. He glanced back at the envelope on the table in wonder and tried to think of what he might have done in his life, what Gods, if they were real, he had pleased so well that he would receive such a…a gift like Sydney.

Wetting his lips he pulled the papers out of the envelope again and read through them thoroughly. It was an unbelievable offer, at almost three times the salary he currently made, though not quite as much as Sydney made. Of course, she did have far more experience and had been teaching far longer, so that was only fair.

It offered him six classes a week, two ever other day, one in the morning and one in late afternoon. It gave him an upgrade in benefits, a clothing allowance and a generous travel allowance. It also required that he commit to three seminars a year on behalf of the university.

He knew from working from Sydney that any teachers could accept outside requests for seminars as well, as long as the schedule did not conflict with their work at Trinity, and that the seminars were also a way of making extra money.

He continued reading through the paperwork, then sat back and thoughtfully finished up his cigar, as Maftet hopped up and snuggled down on his lap. He stroked her and weighed the pros and cons of what he was being offered. He wasn't a person to jump into things rashly, well outside of what working with Sydney sometimes called for.

"Earth to Nigel?"

He started and glanced over where Sydney was seated across from him, finishing off her cheese cake; his own slice still on the table beside him and untouched. He wondered how long she had been there? "Sorry, I…I was thinking."

"Obviously." She pushed her empty plate aside and sat back. "So? What are you going to do?"

"About what?"

"The university's offer."

"I…I think I might accept it, actually."

"Might?"

He smirked and set his now much shorter cigar in the ashtray. "Okay, I think I will accept it." He paused and lifted his eyes to hers. "If that's all right?"

She shook her head. "Nigel, this is your decision, it has nothing to do with me."

"Well, of course it does!" he insisted, even as he picked up his fork and sliced a small bite of cake for himself. "I can't just decide something until I'm sure how it affects us…"

Sydney raised her eyebrows. "Us?"

"Well…yes." He didn't like the way she was looking at him, pretending innocence, yet flashing those knowing doe-eyes of hers at him. "I…I mean…it could change….It's only polite to…to discuss such a major decision with one's…" He paled, as he realized the consequences of his own thoughts, and swallowed the rest of his sentence.

"Partner?" she offered curious, and then added. "Lover? Wife? So-ul Mate?"

"Stop it!" He rose, agitated again. "That wasn't…I didn't mean…I just thought…" They always talked about the important things, always made the big decisions together, but that was work damn it all, not in their personal lives! What the hell was wrong with him?

She let him off the hook. "I know what you meant, Nigel. Sit down and finish your cake."

Nigel dropped back on his chair and glared at her. "You're a h…horrible person, sometimes."

She grinned, rose and walked over to plop into his lap. She wound her arms around his neck. "But you love me."

"I don't," he denied, even as his arm slid around her waist. He paused and wondered when he had considered Sydney sitting in his lap as natural? "If I ever did I don't any more."

"Liar." She kissed his cheek and then rested her head against his as they watched the sun drop lower and lower in the sky. "You know I'm teasing."

"You're a mean, horrid woman."

"Who loves you very, very much."

He grunted but couldn't deny the thrilling sensations her words caused in him. "Good thing you aren't going to say it anymore until I'm ready!" he retorted, reminding her of her earlier promise.

"Oh shut up!" She kissed his lips, quickly and then picked up his fork, sliced off another piece of cheesecake and lifted the fork to his lips.

He opened his mouth, obediently. "You are _not_ normal."

"You already knew that." She prepared another piece of cake for him and he accepted. "You stayed with me anyway."

"Then I'm not normal."

"Thank God for that!

"Stop feeding me."

"Stop eating." She slid yet another piece between his lips and giggled when he took the fork away from her in annoyance. Shrugging she pulled off a generous piece of the cake with her fingers and held it to his mouth. "Open wide."

"I will no…" But of course she would shove it in the moment his lips move, he was an idiot. And then, Sydney started nibbling on the other end until they ran out of cake and their mouths met.

She was trying to kill him, that was the only reasonable explanation, and once she had kissed him senseless and made him breathless she released him and pulled back to stare deeply into his eyes, and the absolute devotion he saw there nearly made him forget his own name.

It took him several attempts before he could find his voice again. "Do…" He cleared his throat and tried again. "Do you intend to…to seduce me into…a confession then?"

"Nope." She grinned and lazily played with his hair. "But think of the fun we'll have trying."

"You're incorrigible!"

"Absolutely!"

"And insatiable!"

"Irrefutably!"

"And so beyond beautiful."

She melted and curled into him and sighed. "Sweet talker."

They sat there, sharing a chair, their arms comfortably around each other and watched the sun set. Nigel did his best not to fret over their position or the why's or how such a thing had become standard for them both, and concentrated on enjoying the warmth of Sydney's body and the beauty of the darkening sky.

"I'm actually looking forward to school starting," he said quietly.

"I'm not. I haven't even started on my lesson plan for the semester."

"Sydney!"

She grimaced and curled tighter against him. "I know. I know!" She laughed at her own procrastination. "I know what I want to do, I just haven't written it up into an actual…schedule yet."

"What do you have then?"

"I have a few Post It's on my office board."

"Sydney!" God she was exasperating at times! And funny, and charming and beautiful and…Stop It!

She laughed again and shot him a sheepish look. "I need help!"

"You certainly do." And so did he. He was falling hard and it seemed resistance was definitely futile.

"Well, you're supposed to be helping me! You're my assistant…assist!"

"You just told me you didn't want me to be your assistant!"

"Well, yeah, but for now you still are…sort of…" She sat up to meet his gaze. "Does that mean you'll take the teaching position?"

"I still haven't decided."

"Then you can still help me! Please, I can't do it alone!"

"You were doing lesson plans long before I came along."

"Sure, but you're so much better at….

"You've just gotten spoiled and don't want to do the work of planning it out."

"That's not true!" It was a little true, she had to admit. Lesson plans were boring and tedious. "I just hate schedules and time tables and you're so much better at them than me."

"Fine," He gently shoved her off his lap and rose. "Let's see these Post It's and we will try and figure it into some sort of system."

"Now?" She didn't want to do school work now! She wanted to stay snuggled into Nigel! "It can wait…"

"It most certainly cannot!" He took her hand and pulled her inside and towards the stairs, relieved to leave the crush of intimacy behind, at least a little. "School starts in less than two weeks and there is no time like the present. Come along now, don't dawdle, Sydney."

Sydney laughed as he pulled her up the stairs. "I don't wanna!"

"Tough."

"You're mean!"

"And you're disorganized." They walked across her bedroom and into her office and Nigel came to a halt at the mass of multi-colored paper sticking to every portion of her board, computer desk and a few shelves. "Good God!" He turned on her. "A few Post It's?"

She shrugged, unabashedly. "I told you I needed help."

"This will take the next two weeks just to put in order!" He slapped his hand to his forehead in disbelief.

"It's not that bad, is it?"

He glared at her then took a deep breath. "Where does it start?"

"I forget."

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. How could someone so brilliant be so chaotic? "Right." He headed for the board. "Let's start here then."

Sydney grinned and followed.


	36. Chapter 36

DISCLAIMER: RH you are not mine, never can be…woe is me… Anyway, next chapter. Hope you enjoy !

**CHAPTER 36**

Sydney awoke the following morning, before her alarm, refreshed from a good night's sleep and in a spectacular mood. She immediately reached for Nigel's side of the bed, but refused to be disappointed at not finding him there.

They had worked well into the night on her curriculum schedule and before they knew it, it was past midnight and Nigel insisted he stay. He'd been too deep in his organization of her lesson ideas to even protest the suggestion, and too tired to decline the offer of her bed.

So, they had undressed and crawled between the sheets with Maftet curled up between them, he on his left side, Sydney on her back, and almost instantly they both drifted off. She hadn't woken once in the night, and she knew it was because he had been there, beside her, so she couldn't regret that he had risen and left early.

She rolled over and stretched leisurely, before finally tossing back the covers and rising. She pulled on her robe, switched off her clock alarm and quickly headed into the bathroom to shower. She dressed in a flirty blue and white summer dress with thin white sandals, then headed downstairs.

Maftet was on the sofa washing her face with her paws, a sign she had already dined and Sydney continued to smile as she entered the kitchen. She could smell the brewing coffee and whistled as she poured herself a cup. Grinning, she spotted the newspaper with a spoon and sugar bowl on the breakfast counter. With a flourish she opened her refrigerator and spotted the halved grapefruit waiting for her, already on a plate.

She took the coffee and grapefruit to the breakfast counter and settled on the stool. "You are so in love with me, Nigel Bailey," she decided as she sprinkled sugar over the fruit and sipped her coffee.

She lingered over her breakfast, something she rarely did, then tossed three treats to the cat, grabbed her briefcase and cell phone and headed out. She arrived at work less than fifteen minutes later and practically waltzed into the Ancient Studies office.

"Good morning, Karen!" she sang brightly. "Isn't it a beautiful morning?"

Karen grinned, relieved her boss was in a better mood than yesterday. "Did you get bit by the happy bug, or something, Syd?"

"Or something."

Karen handed Sydney her messages. "Three people asking for you to speak at an event and seven others claiming they have a map, a letter, a jewelry box and even a live Egyptian cat that will lead you to some relic."

Sydney glanced at Nigel's empty desk. "Has Nigel been in yet?"

"In and gone," Karen replied. "He looked very serious and said he had to go see the Dean. It isn't another problem with his Visa is it?"

"I don't think so." Sydney hoped Nigel's visit to the Dean would be regarding the new position. "I'm sure everything is fine." She rifled through the messages, then dropped them back on Karen's desk. "Call them all back and tell them yes."

Karen's eyes widened as she looked at the stack of requests. "Sydney…Are you sure? Even the one with the cat?"

"Yep!" Sydney headed for her office, paused to straighten the Union Jack flag in Nigel's cup, then opened her door. "Think of all the things we miss by not taking a chance?" She smiled. "Make appointments and I'll see them."

Karen gaped after Sydney as the older woman headed inside her office and wondered what the hell she had been drinking. With a sigh, she dropped down in her chair and started making calls.

Sydney paused just inside her office and burst out laughing. Atop her desk sat a stuffed chipmunk, and not just any chipmunk, either. It was sweet, logical, spectacled Simon of the famous Alvin and the Chipmunks trio. In his hands, or paws rather, was an envelope with Sydney's name on it.

She giggled, tossed her briefcase in a chair and snatched up the envelope. She plopped down in her chair and picked up Simon, awed at how incredibly soft he was. She noticed that there was a sticker on his foot that said Press Here, so she did, and watched in delight as the chipmunk came to life and started singing Only You.

Sydney listened to the entire squeaky song, twice, grinning like an idiot. She wouldn't read too much into it of course, beyond Nigel's usual effort put forth to make her smile and brighten her day. Well, maybe she would, but she'd keep it to herself.

Finally, she set the chipmunk by her telephone. "You sit right there," she said as she slit the seal on the envelope with her letter opener and pulled out the folded sheet inside. "Hold my calls while I read this."

It was Nigel's official resignation, and her heart skipped a beat at reading it, for a mixture of feelings hit her at once. Sadness at the ending of the rolls they had both played for so long, as well as pride for him making the leap and accepting the position. There was a small tingle of excitement at the changes to come and her smile returned almost immediately.

She sighed and held the letter to her chest. Always professional and courteous, he offered two weeks notice, but she didn't want him to wait until then. If they hurried, they might get him set up for the Fall semester. She grinned, excited for him, for them both. He would be a teacher, and she was so proud she could burst!

"Syd?"

She glanced up at his voice, the voice she loved hearing, one she would always recognize, even if a thundering crowd of other voices. "Hi." She reached forward and pressed Simon's foot, so his squeaky voice rose between them. "I've lost my assistant, but I found my chipmunk."

Nigel grinned, delighted he had pleased her. "Yes, well, there isn't room on the desk for us both."

"I beg to differ and am more than willing to test the theory." She set his letter down and rose, laughing when he held up his hands to ward her off.

"Behave yourself!" He glanced behind to make sure Karen hadn't overheard her inappropriate comment. "We're at work now, none of that."

She walked over and gave him a hug anyway. "Thank you for my breakfast this morning and for my new friend."

He smiled and rubbed her back twice before pulling back. "My pleasure, Syd. Hopefully he'll keep away the nightmares."

"It was weird," she said as she perched on the corner of her desk. "Reading your resignation letter. It made me a little sad, actually."

"Likewise, it feels like the ending of an era, doesn't it?"

She nodded, solemnly and they both fell silent in reverence for all they had been through the last few years, their past adventures, their past triumphs and even their failures.

Nigel stepped forward and put his hand on his shoulder in a gesture of support, and she tried to remember the first time he had done that. When she couldn't, she felt some of the sadness lift, for now it was as if Nigel had always been there, always supportive, always ready to brave what may come.

Sydney squared her shoulders. "Well, new things to come."

"Seems like."

"Did you talk to the Dean?"

He nodded and stepped back. "Yes, he seemed pleased that I accepted the position, but he said they wouldn't be able to work me into the curriculum until probably after the holidays."

Sydney's face fell. "What? I was looking forward to helping you plan your classes and decorating your office and telling everyone about the gorgeous new teacher!" She pouted, crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against her desk. "No fair."

He grinned. "Now, Syd, I couldn't possibly jump on this semester. School starts in two weeks and I've no lesson plan prepared, no idea yet even what areas I might like to touch on, and we'd have to make sure whatever my classes offer isn't repeated in yours or it would seem redundant."

"I know, but I thought they would make an exception!"

"Syd, most of the kids have already signed up for their classes and it wouldn't be fair to them to suddenly drop a new course suggestion on them and have them scrambling to fit it it." He shrugged. "We don't even know if any would want to take my classes yet…"

"Of course they will! They'll be jumping at the chance!"

He couldn't hide the pleasure his words caused her. "Well, I'd rather wait so I can decide exactly what and how I want to teach, anyway. Besides, we have to find you a new TA and that won't be easy."

"I'll just hire a student…"

"You won't just hire any student. Even if I will still be with you in the field, you need someone you can count on to carry the academic load when you aren't here. I'll not have you relying on some twitter obsessed adolescent who'd rather look at pretty birds and update their Facebook status than pay attention to their duties."

Sydney grinned at his protectiveness. He could be such a fuddy-duddy sometimes. "Are you saying my choice has to be approved by you, Nigel?"

"I…I…No! I would never presume…that isn't what I meant at all!"

"Then what did you mean?" She crossed her arms and ankles as she leaned against her desk and pursed her lips. "There are some fine student bodies to choose from, so I'm sure I can find someone suitable." She tapped her finger on her lips, pretending to think. "Kendal Adams, maybe?"

"No bloody way!" Nigel flushed as he thought of the young athlete who was infatuated with Sydney and was only taking her classes to get close to her. Sydney had turned down a proposal a day since he'd joined the college, but he kept up with the course work so she couldn't kick him out of her classes. "I…I mean, he's…he's not…I don't think he would be…"

"He's got a head for history, always turns his assignments in on time and seems very interested in class…"

"He's very interested in you!" Nigel snapped. "And you bloody well know it. You cannot hire that…that…over-sexed behemoth as your TA!"

His show of temper filled her with delight, but she wouldn't push it too far. "You don't think he'd be up to the task?"

"I think you'll spend too much time fending him off to get any work done!"

"I can handle myself and him if necessary."

"It would be necessary and…and what if…" He snapped his mouth shut, for fear he would say too much. Adams was a chick magnet and exactly Sydney's type, or at least given her past choices. What if she just decided to stop running one day and let the football star...He shook the thought away, surprised at the quick stab of pain in his heart.

Sydney didn't smile, because she knew that would fluster him further. "Why, Nigel. You're jealous."

"I most certainly am not!"

She pushed off her desk and put her hands on his shoulders. "You totally are." She kissed his cheek. "But, you have nothing to worry about."

Nigel was responding before he fully considered the consequences and succeeded in giving himself away. "But I'm not your type and he most definitely is."

She felt a sting of regret and cursed herself for ever getting involved with that type of man, especially when her past choices obviously made the man she loved feel. "You're forgetting a very important fact, Nigel."

"Like what?" In for a penny, in for a pound, he'd already embarrassed himself beyond reconciliation so why bother holding his tongue now? "You prefer brains over brawn? Give me a break. We both know that isn't true."

Sydney sighed inwardly. "Nigel, it doesn't matter what my type is, or was, or how much you think I might be attracted to someone like that." She caught his chin and pulled his gaze to hers. "You're The One. No one else can compare, no one else matters, but you."

He stared at her and hoped she didn't hear the thudding of his heart as it threatened to beat through his ribcage. She'd said it before and hearing it again felt just as sharp as the first time, just as surprising, just as painful, but despite that feeling, he hadn't truly believed it. There had been so much going on, so many ways her feelings could be confusing her and making her uncertain about her feelings. Now, as he looked into her eyes, he saw the conviction of her words and the truth of it astounded him.

"R…Really?" He cringed at the desperate, immaturity of the question, but Sydney didn't even smile. Instead, she leaned in and touched her lips to his in a sweet, gentle kiss that answered his question far better than any vocal response would have.

"Hey, Syd, I have…" Karen paused at the door way, stunned to see her two friends standing with barely a hair's breath between them. It almost looked like they had been kissing, but then Sydney was tilting Nigel's head with her fingers.

"I don't see anything in there, Nige," she stated and released Nigel to grab a tissue from the box on her desk. "Might be just dust, try wiping it a few times." She glanced at Karen as Nigel went along with the farce and wiped at his eye. "Sorry, what did you need, Karen?"

It took Karen a moment to recover, as she reminded herself that Nigel and Sydney shared a different kind a relationship than most, and were often construed as a couple because of their comfort with each other. They couldn't have been doing what she thought they had been doing. "Uh…I made those calls and added the appointments to your online calendar." Her gaze rested on Nigel, whose back was still to her. "I have some eye-drops in my purse, if you need them, Nigel?"

"Thanks, Karen, I…I think I've got it." He glanced at Sydney and realized, for the first time in the last few days, he truly meant those words. He reluctantly pulled his gaze from Sydney's and returned his attention to Karen. "Could I trouble you to run to the cafeteria and grab me a bagel? I…I um…missed breakfast."

"Absolutely," she smiled; eager to do anything for him and stepped up to accept the five dollar bill he offered her from his wallet. "Syd, did you want anything?"

"Nope, I had a lovely breakfast this morning." She caught the light flush in Nigel's cheeks and tried not to smile. "But thanks. And thanks for doing those appointments for me, too."

"Hey, it's my job." Karen smiled and headed out.

"That was close!" Nigel hissed and dropped into Sydney's guest chair.

"We can't keep it a secret forever, Nigel." She dropped down into his lap. "Someone is bound to notice when we start snogging in the hallways."

"Sydney!"

"Nigel!" she grinned. "Relax, we're married, remember?"

"Not…" He glared at her, more afraid and confused than ever because of the solid conviction she showed him and because more than anything else, he found himself starting to embrace her conviction, her devotion, and even…her love. "Good God!"

"What's wrong?" Sydney sat up a little straighter as she noticed the panic in his eyes. "Nigel? What is it?"

"I…I…I just…Will you please just…get off? I… You said no hanky-panky at the…the office, remember?"

She rose, sensing she'd pushed him a little too far. More than anything she wished he could just accept and let go of his fear, but she couldn't force him. "I'm entitled to change my mind." She cut him a break and settled behind her desk. "Now, about my new assistant."

Nigel immediately missed her warmth, but was relieved to return to a work related topic. "You are _not_ hiring, Adams."

She smiled. "No," she agreed. "But I will need someone, and so will you."

"Well, I've been thinking about it, now…now that I've had a chance to digest it…"

"You mean for the whole…" She glanced at her watch and smirked. "Fourteen hours since you got the offer?"

"It doesn't take me long to work things out once I've made a decision, Syd." He flushed when she gave him _the_ _Eye_. "Um…On most things anyway, and I…I think I have an idea of someone who could as a TA for both of us."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Sarah Sikes."

"Why do I know that name?" Sydney asked and then it dawned on her. "She was in my class three years ago! She was top of the class for almost two years. Had almost no social life, as I recall, was just all about studying…" She paused. "Didn't she drop out just before graduation?"

"Yes, because despite appearances, she apparently did have a boyfriend, and the cad put her in the family way then buggered off with some other woman."

Sydney shook her head. "That's a shame. She was so bright and focused." She sighed. "Unfortunately, no matter how much you try, you can't teach common sense."

"It is a rising dilemma among youth these days, certainly."

"What made you think of her?"

"I kept in touch with her. When she came to me and told me she had to drop out because she couldn't afford school and a new baby, I insisted that she leave me her contact information, so I could send her some material from time to time, just…just to help her keep up. She has a great passion for history."

"Yes, I remember." Sydney smiled at his thoughtfulness and recalled how often Nigel and Sarah had conferred about classes. There had been a rumor the two were dating at one point, and the two could talk for hours about books and old movies. "You knew why she dropped out and didn't tell me?"

"She made me promise, Syd. She was afraid you would be disappointed in her." He shrugged. "I did tell her you would understand, and I tried to assure her that there were programs that could help her, but I think she was feeling ashamed and overwhelmed."

"A young, single mother is always the one everyone focuses the blame on."

"Well, I was speaking with her just last month, we…we chat via e-mails fairly often. She works part time at a book shop so she always sends me a list of any new arrivals and…" He paused as he realized he was getting off topic. "Um…anyway, she has been working three jobs trying to make ends meet, while her sister watches her daughter."

"She had a girl?" Sydney grinned. "Do you have pictures?

"I do have some photo's on my laptop that I feel she won't mind my sharing. The point is, Sarah knows your classes backwards and forwards and she's kept up with every paper you've written since, so she could easily assist with the academic material for our classes."

"I have no doubt of her abilities, Nigel."

"The choice would be yours of course, Syd, but I think hiring her on full time with the university would certainly offer her and her daughter more of a chance than her multiple minimum wage jobs currently do; especially if she takes on the task for both of us. She could sign up for the day care already offered to the students and faculty here, and she would finally have some benefits, which anyone with a three year old certainly needs."

Sydney knew that Nigel had found Sarah another kindred spirit for which to share his passion of books with, but she couldn't resist teasing him. "As I recall, you and Sarah dated a while back? I don't know if I like the idea of hiring one of your former girl friends, Nigel."

Nigel gaped at her, offended. "I hardly think that's a cause for not hiring her…"  
"If I can't have Kendal, you shouldn't have, Sarah. Don't you think that's fair?"

"No! Sydney! Sarah and I are…we were never dating, not…not really. We went for coffee now and again, or to a foreign film but only because we both enjoy those things! I…I've never even kissed her for God's sake!"

Sydney grinned before she could help herself. "Okay, I'm sorry. I'm teasing."

He glared at her, exasperated. "You are the most maddening…." He released a cry of aggravation and threw his hands up. "Sometimes I just want to…."

"Spank me?"

"Sometimes!" he snapped, but his ire couldn't hold survive the broad, playful smile she shot him and the corners of his mouth turned up at their own accord. "If I didn't fully believe you'd look upon it as a form of foreplay rather than a punishment!"

She laughed aloud, startled at his brashness. "Nigel!"

"Can you please be serious long enough for us to finish our discussion?"

"Nothing more to say, I agree completely." Sydney sat back. "We could certainly teach her whatever she doesn't know for the curriculum, she's no slacker from what I remember and has an amazing mind, so that wouldn't be an issue." She thought for a moment. "Maybe we can even set it up so she can take some extra classes, or through the work she does for us, she can earn credits towards getting her diploma?"

"I was hoping you would say that, Syd."

"Have her come in for a talk and we'll go from there." She sat forward and clasped her hands over her desk. "Now, did the Dean say where your new office would be?"

"Well…that's the thing, Syd. He said the only available space right now is across campus, in Professor Artile's old office."

Sydney scowled, she'd hardly see him during the day if he was that far away. "There isn't one on this side?"

Nigel shook his head. "However, I did make an alternative suggestion and he said he would think about it."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

"And what did you suggest?"

"They're currently renovating the basements for extra classrooms, as you know, and I suggested delegating one of the spaces as a storage room for our display relics."

"We have a storage room."

"We do, but if we had a room in the basement I could use the storage room as an office and then we could both still work out of this area."

Sydney considered it, pleased beyond measure that he wanted to stay close and not allow too much to change. "But it doesn't have a window and it would be very cramped and musty."

"I suggested adding a window, there is an outside wall, and that wouldn't cost very much and Sarah could use my current desk. We can talk to Karen about being the assistant for both of us, perhaps suggest a raise for her to the Dean as well, but with Sarah here she'll have some help and some company when we are in the field." He released a heavy breath. "So…what do you think?"

"I think it's a great idea if the Dean goes for it. Did he tell you when he'd let you know?"

"He has to look at the budget and building permits, but he said he'd let me know in a few days."

Karen knocked this time on the door frame as she entered with Nigel's bagel and a cup of steaming coffee. "Sorry to interrupt, here you go, Nigel."

"You're an angel, Karen, thank you." He rose and accepted both. "I'll take this to my desk. Sydney has something to talk to you about."

Karen lifted her eyebrows, curiously and caught the glare Sydney shot Nigel as he retreated.

"Me! This is your new job!"

"Ah, but you're still my employer, so it's your duty to tell her, Syd."

"New job?" Karen's face flushed with worry. "What new job?"

"Nigel!" Sydney laughed but he was already gone. She grinned at Karen. "Have a seat, we have lots to discuss."

Karen reluctantly sat.


	37. Chapter 37

_DISCLAIMER: RH not mine. Thanks for all the great reviews on the last chapter. Here…possibly….is the chapter most of you have been waiting for. I hope you find it was worth the wait._

**CHAPTER 37**

Nigel set the CD into his stereo and hit play, closing his eyes a little as the soulful voice of Elvis Presley surrounded his small flat. His mother used to listen to the King whenever she was had something to work out and Nigel had developed the habit as well. There was something thoughtful and soothing about the 'boy from Tennessee's' rich voice.

He dropped onto his small sofa and pulled the tab on a grape soda. He could have brought home beer, but he just wasn't in the mood for it, not since his binge almost a month ago, and he would only regret it in the morning.

He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, immediately wondering what Sydney was doing. Like the song that drifted through his speakers, she was always on his mind. It felt odd being back at his tiny, cramped flat again, he still wasn't quite used to it. He missed the openness of Sydney's loft, the long, high windows that nestled the area in a dazzling bright light in the morning and a deliciously soft glow in the evening.

He missed the smell of her scented candles and the sound of Maftet purring when petted or meowing to be fed. Half a dozen times he would think he heard the cat crying, or thought he felt the animal brush against him, but it had been his imagination.

Most of all, he missed Sydney. He still saw her at work and in the field, they'd even had dinner a few times, but he missed shopping for ingredients and then coming home together and having a home cooked meal; or as in some cases, a take-away meal.

He even missed their half hearted arguments over which show or movie to watch and hearing her talk to Maftet, as if the animal actually understood her.

He missed her in bed the most, which was a dangerous thing in itself, but he had simply gotten used to her being next to him. He even missed her snoring, if that was possible, and how she would sometimes, in her sleep of course, snuggle up to him when she got cold in the night.

Sydney had been wonderfully patient and, true to her word, she tried to keep things normal and friendly between them. He had managed to plan her curriculum within just a few days from the notes she'd had and as a reward she promised him a weekend in New York to help him purchase a new wardrobe for the next semester, before the weather turned bad.

They'd made it through the first week of school without a hitch, Sydney of course slid expertly back into her teaching role, and Sarah was doing extraordinarily well as her TA. Nigel took on her training personally, showing her just how Sydney liked things done and she seemed excited and diligent every day since she'd started with him. He didn't foresee any issues having her work for him as well, once he had any work to give her, in fact she welcomed the prospect. They got on well because they had so much in common, and because they were both so similar in character.

With the start of work, he and Sydney had both been so busy that there had been little time to think or talk about what was happening between them. It both frightened and delighted him to know that she loved him, and to truly believe it. He'd been worried that her feelings may have been because of the drugs, but she hadn't changed her mind in all these weeks, so he had been mistaken. They were no longer living together, therefore that couldn't be the cause of her new feelings either. Which meant that she was truly be in love with him, and that absolutely astounded him.

Sydney could have her pick of any man, and for whatever reason, she'd decided that he, Nigel Bailey, was The One for her. He'd never been The One for anyone, or anything. He'd always been second best next to Preston. Second son to his parents. Second place in contests and even second runner up for Valedictorian at University.

He had not heard from Cate, someone he couldn't even place for, unless you counted last place, but he didn't expect to hear anything until there was news about the pirates.

He and Sydney had been on two hunts recently and Tia had accompanied them, having received a temporary work visa with the help of Agent Tuttle, until her case was decided. Luckily neither he nor Sydney had required her medical talents while in the field, but it was a learning experience for her so she seemed happy to be with them.

Unable to settle, he set his can on the table and rose to retrieve the acoustic guitar that he kept hidden in his closet. He had started teaching himself to play last year and he wasn't doing too badly. He returned to the sofa and fiddled with the cords for awhile, before strumming to the next song and singing along in a low, soft voice.

_When no-one else can understand me  
When everything I do is wrong  
You give me hope and consolation  
You give me strength to carry on_

Sydney paused outside Nigel's door where she had just lifted her hand to knock when she heard the sounds of the music inside. She recognized The King's voice of course, but not the other. She knocked softly, but the music continued uninterrupted. When she knocked again, harder this time, Nigel still didn't answer, so she tried the door and, finding it unlocked, quietly she stepped inside.

_And you're always there to lend a hand  
In everything I do  
That's the won-der  
The wonder of you_  
_  
_

Sydney gaped at the sight of Nigel seated with his back to her on the sofa, strumming the guitar and singing in a voice that, at least in her opinion, easily rivaled the legendary singer coming through the stereo speakers.

_And when you smile the world is brighter  
You touch my hand and I'm a King  
Your kiss to me is worth a fortune  
Your love for me is everything_

_I'll_ _guess I'll never know the reason why  
You love me as you do  
That's the won-der  
The wonder of you_

Sydney smiled as Nigel continued to play through the bridge and kept up with remarkable accuracy. She wondered if he was thinking of her while he was singing, and really hoped he was.

_I'll_ _guess I'll never know the reason why  
You love me as you do  
That's the won-der  
The wonder of you_

Nigel set down his guitar and started to reach for his drink when Sydney stepped forward and touched his shoulder from behind. He spun around, startled and put his hand to his heart.

"Christ Jesus!" He cried as he focused on her and tried to calm his beating heart. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Sorry," she offered, sincerely. "I guess you didn't hear me knocking."

He shook his head and slowly rose to face her. "No. I…I didn't." He was suddenly embarrassed to have been caught singing. "Um…how…how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to get weak kneed." She grinned as he blushed and hefted the bag of takeout. "I was in the area and thought you might be hungry?"

"Oh." He looked around his apartment absently, checking that it was uncluttered and appropriate for company, which it was. He'd picked up his things from Sydney's the night after he made her the sausage casserole and had put everything back in it's place, such as it was. "I…That was nice of you."

It was Sunday and neither of them had worked. On his day off, he'd run to the laundry mat, purchased a few groceries, and then completely forgot about supper. Instead, he'd spent the remainder of the afternoon mooning over Sydney. Good God! He was _mooning_ over Sydney!

"Why didn't you tell me you could play the guitar?" she asked as she moved to his small kitchenette and pulled down two plates from the cupboards.

"I…" He glanced at the instrument and had to force himself not to grab it and run to lock it up again. "It…It's just a hobby I…I started."

"Are you taking lessons?"

"No. No, I…I'm just teaching myself really, which is why I'm not very good yet."

"I think you sounded great!" She started to dole out the Fettuccini and garlic bread she had purchased from the Italian eatery on the corner. "Can I expect to be serenaded regularly?"

Again he flushed and finally remembered his manners. He turned down the music and moved to help her, but she was already setting the food at his two-seater dinette. "Please don't tease me about it, Syd."

"I'm not!" She turned, surprised. "I really liked you're playing, Nigel, and you have an amazing singing voice."

"Really? You're not just saying that?"

"Why are you so surprised?" She helped herself to a grape soda, figuring it was the closest to wine they would get, then dropped a quick kiss on his lips. "It's just one of your many talents."

Nigel fought the urge to ask for another kiss, she did that now and then, which delighted him and let him know that she hadn't changed her mind. But encouragement quickly leads to other things, and so he picked up his fork to shovel a mouthful of pasta into his mouth before he said something that would embarrass them both.

Sydney settled opposite him at the table and dug into her own pasta. "Mmmm, delicious."

"Yes," he agreed and realized how very much he missed them having a small, intimate dinner at home. Home? When had he started thinking of Sydney's loft as his home? Good God! He was in worse shape than he thought!

"My Dad called."

"Oh?" God she smelled good. Why did she always have to smell so good? Focus Bailey! You're not a bloody teenager! "How…How is he?"

"Very well." Sydney took a sip of her drink then curled some noodles around her fork. "He was very pleased with the gift basket of gourmet coffees we sent him."

Bloody hell. "Oh…um…right. I…I meant to tell you I…I was doing that. I just thought it would be a…a nice gesture since he helped with my Visa and…and everything."

"He was under the impression it was from both of us." She raised her eyebrows and held his gaze. "Forgery is a felony, Nigel. I don't have to worry about some off shore accounts in my name now do I?"

"I'm your assistant," he reminded at her teasing. "Or…was…and I've been forging your bloody name almost from the day you hired me, so if you didn't want me to you should have stopped shuffing off all your paperwork to my desk."

She returned his smile. "It was very thoughtful, thank you."

He shrugged, delighted that he had pleased her, and forked up another mouthful of fettuccini. "I meant to tell you, honestly."

"I'm sure you did." She had kept his mind busy on other things, so she would let it slide, and her father had really been impressed by the gift for he did love his coffee. "I have other news."

"Oh?"

She nodded. "You know Serena, my neighbor?" He nodded. "She's moving to Hong Kong for her job and is selling her loft."

"Does she need you to keep an eye on it until it sells?"

"No." Sydney scooped another mouthful of noodles, chewed and swallowed before continuing. "Actually, she's asked if I want to buy it."

Nigel blinked. "You already have a loft."

"Yes, but her loft covers the other side of the building, opposite of mine."

"I don't understand." How was that relevant? "Is hers bigger?"

"A little, but that isn't the reason I'm considering it." Another pause as she ate some more food. "If I purchased her loft, I could knock down a few walls and have the entire top floor."

His eyes widened. "Do you need that much space, Syd?"

"Need, no." She sipped her sofa and tried to quell the butterflies in her stomach. It felt odd, talking to someone about a major decision instead of just doing what she wanted. Odd, but exciting. "I was thinking that if I ever…well, needed more room it would be nice to have that option." She bit into a piece of garlic bread and finally met his gaze. "You know, if…if there was ever more than me and Maftet staying there."

"Oh." He stared at her, stunned, and a sensational feeling of excitement spread through his entire body at the idea of waking up next to Sydney every day, of kissing her good night every evening, and of Maftet curled up between them as they slept and being woken by her wet, rough kitty kisses in the morning to get her breakfast.

He started to smile as he pictured them having dinners at her dinette table, or on the terrace, of snuggling together as they watched a film, or working late into the evenings on lesson plans and exam grades. Sydney wanted him to live with her, for real.

His joy suddenly turned to full on panic. Holy crap! Sydney wanted to live with him, for _real_? He wasn't ready to commit to living with her full time again! What the hell was wrong with him? He lowered his head back to his food, unsure what else to say, even as his left leg nervously started to jerk beneath the table.

Fool! Idiot! Stupid! Pushy! Sydney continued to berate herself for saying anything to him. She should have just decided herself and if it worked out that he ever moved in again, then she'd have the room available.

Desperate to salvage their evening and unwilling to let such a thing sit between them, she amended her reason. "It would be good to have more room if Dad and Jenny come for a visit, then they wouldn't have to stay in a hotel, and I could open up my office area and extend my gym. Plus, it…it's a good investment, really."

Nigel felt his gut twist. So…she didn't want him to move back in? Was he hurt or relieved? God, this was so confusing! Unable to respond, he remained silent as he pushed his food around on the plate.

Sydney decided to change the subject all together. "Well, I'll have to think about it." She finished off her soda and rose to get another, wishing she had something stronger. "It's been a slow summer, hasn't it?"

He nodded slowly and made the effort to put the matter behind them as he reached his hand under the table to still his leg. "Seems to be, but we…we shouldn't tempt fate." He set his fork down and sipped his soda, trying not to think about the need in her eyes when she was asking his opinion about the loft, only it didn't seem like she was asking his opinion. It was more like she was asking his…permission?

"Sarah seems to be working out so far?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes…yes, she…I think she'll be fine, once…once Karen gets used to her."

"Is Karen having trouble with her?"

"Not that I'm aware of, only Karen…well, she's had the office to herself for a long time, Syd. It…It's hard to get used to something…someone new."

"I guess that's true for some people," she admitted, no longer talking about the women in the office. "But some people cause strife to themselves by over thinking things too much. That's why I prefer to go with the flow and just accept things as they come."

"Not….not everyone is wired that way, Sydney."

"I know that too."

He finally met her gaze and saw the sadness and longing in her eyes, mixed with a gentle understanding. He wanted to apologize again for making her wait, for not being able to go with the flow as easily as she could. Instead, he attempted to regain their earlier comfort level.

"So…" He picked up his fork and forced himself to eat another bite. "When will the desk you ordered for my office be coming?"

She paused with the fork halfway to her mouth. He had insisted on ordering all his own supplies, but she hadn't been able to resist helping a little. It didn't surprise her that he found out about her little surprise and she grinned, unabashedly. "Tomorrow."

He pointed his empty fork at her. "You are a hopeless shop-a-holic." He shook his head at her grin. She was so delightfully unapologetic about her failings, how could anyone not lo…He dropped his fork. Christ on a crutch!

Sydney laughed, trying to relieve the tension between them. "Butterfingers!" She rose and picked up the fork beside his chair, patting his shoulder as she returned to the kitchen to retrieve a clean one, although knowing Nigel they probably could eat off his floors. "Try to hold onto this one."

"T…thank you." Did she notice that his hand was shaking? Why was his hand shaking?

Why? Well because she was discussing moving in together, for real and for a brief moment, perhaps longer than a moment he had been considering it, that's why. Yes the idea scared the hell out of him, but he missed living with her, didn't he? He'd just been thinking about that earlier when he had been…mooning over her.…He closed his eyes and visibly winced.

Was he in love with Sydney? Dear God, how could he have let this happen?

"So, what were you saying?" she asked as she resumed her seat. "About my addictive personality?"

"I…." It took everything Nigel had to stay in his chair and not spring from it and run for his bedroom. He needed to regroup and try to manage his feelings, but he couldn't just leave. He quickly reigned in his emotions and tried to return to the lighter conversation they had been having. "Um….S…Sarah seems to…to be working out well."

"Yes." Sydney selected another piece of garlic bread. "So, when did you start playing the guitar?"

"I…" He couldn't do it and quickly stumbled to his feet. "I…Need the loo. Excuse me." He tried not to rush down the small corridor to his washroom, where he stepped inside, closed and firmly locked the door.

He paced twice, which didn't take very long in the cramped bathroom, then turned and viewed his reflection in the medicine cabinet mirror.

"Get hold of yourself, man!" he hissed. "You can't be feeling what you think you're feeling. You're falling into the trap of circumstance again. It isn't Sydney it…it's the dinner and the…the..." Well, it was hardly the grape soda! It was just dinner, take-a-way dinner at that, and there were no candles or romantic music. "It's her scent. Yes, that's it, she smells like romance, like…"

Rose petals freshly bloomed on a spring-time rose in a garden surrounded by an orchard of ripe, succulent plums…

"Christ! Stop it!" he warned his reflection, appalled.

"Nigel?" Sydney rapped on the bathroom door. "Are you okay?"

"What?" he snapped and then quickly recovered. "I…I mean, yes, I…I'm fine."

"Your food is getting cold do you want me to cover it?"

"No, no. I'll be there in a minute."

He ran his hand through his hair and willed his brain to focus. "Okay. Okay, so…Maybe you feel more for Sydney. Who wouldn't? She's a wonderful, desirable, generous, loving…" He smacked himself. "Focus Bailey! Okay…so…what's the worst that could happen?"

He turned back to the mirror, as if his likeness would reveal the truth, respond in some way. No? Right then, up to him.

"So…worse case scenario…It doesn't work between us…" Because Sydney deserves so much better, is used to better and will most likely get bored and go looking for something better.

He sighed, that kind of thinking wasn't going to get him anywhere. "So, whatever the reason, it doesn't work. The consequences could be…We'd start to bicker over irrelevant matters, which would cause us to lose respect for each other, hurt each other's feelings, which I absolutely don't want to happen, and end up with us not talking at all!"

He didn't know what he would do if Sydney stopped talking to him, if he couldn't have her to confide in, and laugh with and share things with. Damn it to hell if he hadn't already lost that aspect, because he couldn't…no…wouldn't tell her how he really felt. He didn't feel comfortable talking to her about his feelings because…well because now they were about her. Already their relationship had changed and that frightened him.

He took a deep breath, then looked at his reflection again. "Best thing…" One always had to weigh both sides of the conflict. "Best thing that could happen is I would… be… with Sydney…."

He was already with Sydney, but there was a colossal difference between being with her and being _with_ her. Was he ready for that? Could he handle that? Would she commit to that? "I'd be with Sydney." The idea was tempting, more than that, it started a little flutter inside his heart that seemed to grow larger the more he thought about it.

The sex was phenomenal; there'd be no issues in that area. They got along well at work and outside of it and he was no longer her assistant so that monkey on his back was finally off. But was it enough? He'd started to think he would never be enough for any woman, especially Sydney.

"She said she liked your singing," he said to his reflection and witnessed the awe in his own expression. "Preston is better, of course, but Sydney hasn't heard his singing and she never said that she liked his singing, she said that she likes yours."

His reflection stared back at him, belligerently silent.

"She needs more," he murmured as he braced his hands on the sink and dropped his head. "She deserves more. She deserves….a Prince, not a pauper." He was hardly that but having known some of the men Sydney had former relationships with, the roles could be similar. "What about family?"

He groaned and dropped down on his closed toilet seat. Sydney might never be ready to give up relic hunting and have children, and he wouldn't want to be running around all over the world if he had a little girl or boy waiting at home. Did she even want children? He did, so very badly that he almost ached with it. Perhaps not right away, but in a few years time, certainly.

Another knock at the door startled him. "Are you sure you're okay, Nigel? You've been in there a long time."

"Yes I…It must have been…um…breakfast. I'll be out shortly, Syd."

"Okay. Do you want to watch a movie?"

"Yes, sure." Anything to get her away from the damn door so he could get back to his total mental breakdown. "Whatever you like, Syd."

"Okay."

He heard her move away from the door again. Who was he kidding? "I won't ever measure up," he whispered and hung his head in his hands. Even if she fancied him now, all it would take would be for Francois or Dallas or Alan or some new Adonis to come round and quickly change her mind.

He lifted his head and rose to meet his reflection again. "But she said she loves me, not them. She said I was The One and Sydney wouldn't say that unless she meant it."

He rose and splashed some water on his face, then peered into the mirror again. "Right. So…so Sydney isn't Cate and she isn't Amanda. Sydney wouldn't deliberately hurt me and she…" What if she did? Was it worth the risk? He didn't know if he would recover if Sydney…

He shook his head and splashed his face again. "No. I'm not going to think about that. Sydney has been wonderfully patient and honest with me, and…and brave to tell me her true heart's desire when she knew I couldn't…commit." He looked at his hands, saw that they still trembled and he squeezed them tightly, willed them to stop. "For God's sake man, you've been through worse than this! You can do this!"

He turned away from the mirror and pulled open the door. Sydney was by the television considering two separate DVD's. He cleared his throat, wiped his damp hands on his trousers and approached her.

"I must be feeling slightly anemic, because I can't decide between Iron Man II and The Man in the Iron Mask," she admitted and shot him a grin, before seeing his serious expression. "What's wrong?"

"Do you want to sleep over?"

Sydney's heart flipped over in her chest in excitement, but her response was cautious, because Nigel looked like he might bolt at any minute, depending on her response. "Would you like me too?"

He dropped his gaze to the floor and pushed back the surge of panic. Why had he said that? That hadn't been what he meant to say at all! Things were just getting back to normal between them, only he didn't want normal anymore. He surprised himself once again by saying. "I…if you….if you want to."

She realized what a big step this was for him, despite their dalliances at her loft, she sensed that this wasn't just about sex. She really had to focus on remaining still and calm and not push him for more, or jump up and start skipping about like a maniac.

Yes, it was definitely love. "I don't have a change of clothes," she added, wanting, needing him to specify the terms so she wouldn't assume. "To sleep in."

Nigel was silent for a long moment. Well, he'd gone and done it, there was no backing out now. He wanted her to stay the night, in his bed, in his arms and in his life, if she was willing.

"You…" He cleared his throat, unable to believe he was taking this any further. Stunned to be thinking what he was thinking and even more so when the thoughts tumbled quietly from his mouth. "You won't need them."

Sydney dropped the movies and was in his arms catching his mouth in a frantic, needy kiss.

Nigel's arms remained at their sides, by sheer force of will, but his lips and tongue danced just as eagerly against hers. He whimpered at the delightful taste of her and then cursed himself for letting it get out of hand.

With great difficulty, he managed to pull away. "Syd…" He managed, searching for the words to explain.

"Sorry!" she squeaked, her excitement coloring more than her face, and she quickly cleared her throat as she caressed his cheek, watching as he moved into her touch. "I just…I just wanted a kiss." She'd been dying for it, actually and so, it seemed, had he. "I promise to be on my best behavior and I won't pressure you or…"

"Hush, Syd." Giving into his need to touch her, he gently pushed a curl of hair back behind her ear and let his finger trail down across her cheek.

How bad would it be if they moved forward? Would the gain of such a relationship be worth the possibility of loss if it didn't work between them? She said she liked his playing, his singing. No one knew his secret dreams of being a musician, but she hadn't laughed or teased him, as he would have expected her to.

She'd like it, she liked him and he hadn't realized how very much he wanted someone to like him for a reason outside of being Sydney Fox's assistant or Preston Bailey's brother, or even Elizabeth and Roger Bailey's son.

"Can…can we just be together tonight?" he whispered, his eyes memorizing her face as if he had never seen her before. "Just…finish dinner and…and maybe watch a film? And…and sleep, just sleep…together?" He wet his lips, his mouth suddenly bone dry at the idea of her refusal. "I really…really miss sleeping beside you, Syd."

"Likewise." She put her hand over his, her heart so full of love for him she was ready to burst. It was a start. It was a very good start. "Will you play for me again? Please?"

He pressed his lips together when he felt them tremble at her request. "O…Okay. If you really want me to." And he would, but only for her. Only ever would he play for her now and he felt the tightness that had been in his chest the last few weeks release suddenly, as if he had been given a second breath of fresh, clean oxygen.

She'd promised to behave, but found herself giving into the temptation of another kiss. Their lips were so close, all she had to do was lean forward and…She tried not to be hurt when he pulled back at her movement. "Sorry. I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I…I want to…too, but…"So many of his past relationships were about sex, and while he knew what sex with Sydney would be like, how amazing it was, he didn't want to make the same mistakes he had before. "I just…there has to be…more, Syd."

Hearing those words brought tears to Sydney's eyes, for no man had ever said them to her before. No man had ever looked past the chemistry, the sex, the good times. "There already is more," she promised and squeezed his hand. " Much, much more." She stepped away from him. "Let's finish our dinner and then we'll pick out a film."

"Sydney," He caught her hand to keep her from turning away. "I…I'd like to ask you another question."

Her heart rose into her throat as she turned back to face him. "Okay."

"Will you…I…I mean…Would you like to…go out with me…sometime?" He sounded like an idiot and immediately cursed himself.

They were legally married, already had sex multiple times and he just asked her if she would go out with him, as if he'd just met her on the street! He waited for her to laugh, or raise her eyebrows in that delightfully puzzled way of hers, but she didn't, she just continued to stare at him and he felt his cheeks flush with heat.

Sydney watched the anxiety and embarrassment flicker over his face. He was asking her on a date, an honest to God, man-and-woman, dining and dancing, with the possibly of leading to much more date. Her love for him grew by leaps and bounds.

"I'd love to, Nigel."

His nervousness instantly faded away. "I…I want to do this right, Syd. Can…Can you let me do that?"

Her breath quickened and her heart threatened to burst through her chest. Did he mean what she thought he meant? Did he return her feelings, finally and unconditionally? "Does that mean you…" She began before she could stop herself, desperate to know, to be sure.

"It means…" He cleared his throat, twice. "I want to do this right, Syd."

Sydney realized that he was not ready to say it, but Nigel had always believed that actions spoke louder than words, and so she would be patient and let him court her. She latched onto his hand again. "Okay, but this can to be our first date."

"No." He shook his head. "Saturday. We'll go out somewhere nice and…spend the day…together."

Saturday was six days away! Still, she nodded, enthusiastically. "It sounds wonderful." So wonderful she might not sleep for the next week. He made her feel sixteen again and that filled her with delight. "Can I give you your good night kiss now then?"

He tipped his head in a shy smile, incorrigible and adorable, all in one. "Yes."

Sydney claimed his mouth as she had once before, with a sweet, soft, sensuous kiss, full of love and promise and truth. Nigel's arms folded around her and he allowed himself to feel everything that her being with him allowed.

It took a gigantic effort to pull away and when he did, he was breathless and had to take a moment to speak. "That…That's not going to lead us to…sleep, Syd."

She grinned. "It will, I promise." She winked as she turned back to retrieve the movies and gave him a deliberate close up of her derriere. "Iron Man Two it is."


	38. Chapter 38

DISCLAIMER: RH not mine. SOoooo glad you enjoyed the last chapter, you thought I was gonna drag it out forever, didn't you? Well, it's not over until the fat lady sings, but for now….**Saturday is here**! (at least in the story) Enjoy and please continue to review and let me everything you like (or don't like) about it

**CHAPTER 38**

Sydney descended the stairs into her living area wearing a pair of dark, tailored slacks, a scoop neck red blouse and matching black jacket. She wore her silver three rope necklace and long matching earrings and bracelet. Her hair was down, she'd brushed it fifty times and used extra conditioner to make it shine as it fell across her shoulders.

Maftet was seated at her usual spot on the back of the sofa, eying her suspiciously. "How do I look?" she asked the cat and gave a little twirl. The feline sat up, stretched and mewed. "Too much?" She frowned. "The jewelry?" She pulled out the earrings and removed the bracelet. "Better?" Maftet mewed approvingly and Sydney grinned.

The cat leapt down and followed her mistress to the kitchen, where Sydney set the extra jewelry on the counter and retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge. She took a couple of swallows as Maftet hopped up on the kitchen counter. "We should put your nice collar on." Sydney retrieved a rhinestone collar from a drawer in the kitchen and clipped it around her cat's neck. "You want to look pretty for him too, right?"

The cat meowed and proceeded to wash her face with her paws.

Sydney couldn't settle. Today was Saturday and Nigel said he would be picking her up an noon, it was currently five minutes before. He'd told her to dress casually, but it was hard to know what that meant to Nigel. Did he mean dress for a hunt, dress for school, dress for work in the back yard?

She shook her head and realized that there was still a lot they needed to learn about each other. Perhaps that was why he suggested going on a date, so they could get to know each other better. It was hard to believe there was anything about him she didn't know, they'd been friends for so long, but finding out he played the guitar and had a wonderful singing voice had been a startling revelation.

She took another swallow of water than looked down at her heeled sandals, and decided, yes too much. She hurried upstairs and changed into a pair of comfortable flats, just as her intercom buzzed. She was a little annoyed he didn't just use his key, but she supposed it was his way of doing it right.

She returned downstairs and pressed the intercom, deciding to tease him. "Who goes there?"

"Delivery for Ms. Fox."

She scowled, that didn't sound like Nigel. She shrugged and pressed the release button for the door downstairs and moved to slide open her door. The elevator pinged a moment later a delivery boy holding a colorful bouquet in a crystal vase, and Nigel Bailey stepped out. Nigel did not look happy.

"Sign here, please?" said the gum chewing young man as he presented her with a clipboard. Sydney signed, then accepted the flowers and watched the delivery boy retreat quickly.

"Hi," Sydney smiled at Nigel. "You look grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy, I'm annoyed."

Sydney immediately wondered who might have sent her the flowers and would he be jealous, but as she stepped back into her loft and read the card, she smiled again. They were from Nigel. "Oh, Nige, they're stunning."

Nigel slid her loft door closed. "You were supposed to get those this morning."

She headed through the kitchen and set the flowers on her dinette, leaning down to smell them intently. "Mmmm, smells like spring." She returned to him, wound her arms around his neck and kissed him, thoroughly "Thank you."

He finally returned her smile, delighted he had pleased her. "You're welcome."

"So," She grinned at him and kept her hands linked around his neck. "We're going on a date."

"We are."

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

Her eyebrows rose but her smile grew wider. "Mmmm, mysterious." She stepped back to retrieve her jacket. "You said to dress casually, I hope this is okay?"

He eyed her outfit with appreciation. "You look lovely, Syd."

She beamed at him, then stopped suddenly as she finally focused on what he was wearing. Dark, tight fitting blue jeans, obviously new or barely worn as they had that off the shelf denim look. A white, polo shirt, open at the neck, revealing a thin silver chain, under a worn leather jacket that matched his polished black boots.

Her mouth watered and she wondered why she had never seen the jacket or boots before. Were they new? "Um…" Holy cow! She was speechless. "I…is that a new jacket?"

He shook his head. "I've had it a few years." He noticed Maftet and grinned. "Don't you look all dressed up and pretty?" He walked over and gave the cat a good ear scratching, and was quickly rewarded with adoring purrs. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a toy mouse. "Look what I have for you." The cat's eyes narrowed intently on the object and her tail twitched, expectantly. "Go get it!"

Maftet sprung from the counter and scurried across the floor after her prey with a kitten's delight.

"Should…do you want me to change into jeans?" Sydney asked, still thoroughly flustered at this new look on him.

"I don't want you to change anything," he smiled and pulled from his other pocket a small package of cat treats. Maftet paused at the sound and glanced at him, then at the mouse, then at him, her pain obvious. He grinned and set several of the treats on the floor. "They're here when you want them," he told her.

Maftet ran back, grabbed up a treat, then another, than hurried back to sneak up on her mouse again.

"She really missed you," Sydney laughed as they watched the animal practically turn itself inside out batting the toy about the room.

"Yes, I can tell." He smirked at her. "It has catnip in it, so if we come back and she's hocking your jewelry for more drugs it is _not_ my fault."

Sydney laughed again, grabbed her purse and followed him into the hallway, then turned to lock her door.

"May I see the other loft, Syd?"

"Sorry?"

"The other loft, the one you're considering buying. Would your friend let me have a look?"

Sydney felt her temperature spike at the question. Did that mean he was considering moving back in with her? "Um…she…she's gone for the weekend, but I have a set of keys so I can feed her fish. I am sure she wouldn't mind."

He smiled and watched her walk past the elevator to the only other door on the floor. She selected the right key from her ring and inserted it, then slid the heavy door aside. They stepped into a loft that was almost exact to Sydney's in the layout, only decorated differently.

"It seems smaller than yours," he murmured.

"Actually she has more square footage, but she wanted a bigger kitchen and…" She moved across the room to one of the doors and opened it. "More storage."

Nigel glanced over the well organized shelves, which included several pool toys and lawn chairs. "Why does she have all of this?"

"There is a pool on the roof, it comes with the loft."

"Really?" He continued to wander. "Has she had many offers?"

"Yes, space like this so close to down town is at a premium, but they are mostly underbidding, or she doesn't like them."

"What is she offering to sell it to you for?"

Sydney paused again and felt that surge of excitement once more. "Are you saying I should buy it, Nigel?"

"I'm asking how much it would be, Sydney."

She smothered a growl of frustration and told him the figure, watching his eyes widen.

"Can you even afford that?"

"My loft is almost paid off, and I have enough equity that I can probably roll it into the mortgage for this one, but I think I have enough saved for a good sized down payment."

"Hmmm."

"It really would be a great investment."

He turned to her. "So, why haven't you agreed to purchase it?"

She tilted her head and met his gaze squarely. "I don't know if I'll need the space yet." Her heart was screaming at him to help her make the choice, but again, Nigel did not excel at expressing himself verbally.

He smiled and extended his hand. "Ready to go?"

She nodded and tried to keep the disappointment off her face as they stepped out and she locked up the loft. "So, where are we going?"

"Outside."

She smirked as they stepped into the elevator. "Where outside?"

"You'll see."

"Nigel, I have to know where to drive…"

"You're not driving."

She frowned. "Don't tell me you rented a car?" He said nothing. "Nigel! That's a ridiculous expense when I already have a car…."

"We don't need a car right now," he insisted kindly and gently pulled her away from where her vehicle was parked and down the street. "We can walk to where we're going."

"And where is that?"

"Must you know everything?"

"Yes!"

He laughed and Sydney felt her knees go weak again. She was so in love with him it was almost painful. They walked, hand in hand, down the street to a park that Sydney was familiar with. As they walked she grew even more curious, especially when she saw a small crowd gathered around an enormous, colorful hot-air balloon tethered in the center of the park.

She was surprised when they walked right up to it, and an older, bearded man smiled at them. "Everything's ready to go, Nigel."

"Brilliant, Stanley!" He smiled at Sydney. "Your chariot, m'lady."

Sydney's eyes widened. She had done many, many things in her life, but she had never been in a hot air balloon, and she had always wanted to! She turned to him, baffled. "You…you don't like heights!"

"This will be different," he assured as he helped her step into the enormous basket and then quickly followed. "No one will be urging me to jump out of this." He grinned. "I hope!"

She laughed as Stanley secured the basket hatch where they entered then moved to the controls in the center.

"Clear the way please?" he requested of the crowd and they quickly backed up.

"Ready?" Nigel asked Sydney.

"Am I ever!" Sydney was excited, truly excited and she couldn't remember ever feeling like this, other than when finding a relic.

Stanley released the hot air into the balloon above and they slowly started to rise into the clear blue sky as the crowd waved to them. She actually waved back, feeling positively giddy, then turned her gaze forward. Already the view was breath-taking, but she noticed Nigel was a little white knuckled at take off.

She slid her hand over his and gave him a smile that let him know how much she appreciated his surprise. He returned her smile, shyly, as they rose higher and higher and the people below became just specks on the ground.

Stanley pressed play on a small radio and 'Up, Up and Away 'started to fill the air and Sydney giggled at the familiar balloon song.

"Oh, Nigel!" she gasped at the view before them. "It's magnificent!"

"I didn't know if you've ever seen your home quite like this, Syd," he admitted and pointed down to a small grey building. "There's your loft, see?"

"Oh, there's the pool on the roof, see?" she pointed out the oblong blueish-green spot against the grey. "I've always wanted a pool of my own."

"You use the one at the University, don't you?"

"Sure, but that's when I'm working. It would be nice to be able to just go upstairs whenever I want to and have a swim. It has an enclosure over the top for the winter time too."

He turned to her. "So, why don't you buy the loft?"

She glared at him. "You _know_ why!" She hadn't said her reason out-right, but he knew. He wasn't as obtuse as he sometimes pretended to be.

"Sydney, it has to be your decision."

"It doesn't _have_ to be."

"Considering the amount of money you're talking about it most certainly does!"

She groaned. "I don't care about the money, Nigel." She took his hand and turned him towards her, ignoring the fantastic view spread out before them. "Well, I do, but if there was a chance…"

"I'm not ready, Syd." His eyes glowed with regret.

"We've already lived together, for heaven's sake! What's the difference?" She scowled, her heart in her throat. "Don't…didn't you like living with me?"

"I did!" he insisted, quickly.

"And you said you missed me, lying with you, in bed?"

He flushed and glanced at Stanley who was politely pretending to fiddle with the balloon controls. "Sydney!"

"I'm just trying to understand, Nigel. I…You're giving me mixed signals here."

His gaze shot to hers. "Me!" This coming from the queen of mixed signals? He took a deep breath and quickly swallowed his stinging retort. "Look, if you like the loft and the idea of the pool and more space, why don't you buy it then? You said it would be a good investment, right?"

"I want to know…"  
"Well I can't bloody tell you!" he snapped and pulled away from her, angrily moving to the other side of the basket.

Sydney chewed on her lower lip and tried to reign in her own temper. Damn it, why couldn't he just tell her how he felt? Why was he making things so complicated? She wanted to know, needed to know. Now! She frowned at her own impatience. Maybe Nigel was right, she was spoiled and used to getting her own way.

With a sigh she released her anger and moved over to stand beside him. "I'm sorry," she offered quietly and meant it. "I'm being pushy again. I'm trying really hard, Nigel."

He sighed but kept his eyes forward. "I know, Syd. I'm not deliberately being difficult."

She nodded and took a deep breath, the air seemed so much cleaner from this height. "It really is spectacular." She hesitantly slid her arm through his. "I'm having a lovely time, so far."

His lips twitched, but he didn't smile. "Good."

"Do all your dates get this kind of treatment?"

"Only the ones that I've dated more than twice," he smirked.

"But this is only our first date."

"Syd, we've been on hundreds of dates."

She paused at his words and slowly considered all the dinners they'd had together, both take out and dine in, all the films they'd seen, the dances or balls they'd attended together, for school of course. She slowly started to smile. Yes, she supposed when you thought about it, they'd been dating for quite a while.

How is it she had never seen him as the man she saw him as now?

"We've wasted so much time."

He turned to her, angry again. "Don't say that!"

"But…"

"Syd, none of our time has been wasted. Every moment I have spent with you has satisfied something in me, fulfilled dreams I…I could never have imagined and…and rewarded me with…" He backed off of that thought and quickly readjusted his impassioned speech. "And rewarded you, rewarded both of us. It was never wasted."

She stared at him. "I love you." She watched him curl back into himself as he turned away again. "Why don't you like me to say it, Nigel?"

"I…I didn't say I didn't like it."

"You shy away and tense up every time I do."

"You…" He glanced at her then quickly away again. "Syd, you…you take my breath away when you say it."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "Why?"

"Because you're saying it to me," he whispered

Her heart went out to him. How was it possible that her love for him continued to grow beyond she had ever expected or known? How was it possible that no other woman had said these things to him?

She put her hand on his arm. "Why shouldn't I say it to you?"  
He shrugged and kept his eyes on the horizon.

"Nigel? Why shouldn't I say it to you? Don't you think you deserve to be loved as much as anyone else?"

Another shrug.

"I've said it to you several times before…before."

"You never…that was different."

"Why?"

He turned to her. "I knew you didn't mean it." Again he looked away. "Not…I mean…you did, but not…not the way you do now."

She tried another tactic "You shouldn't be shy about it either way, after all you said it to me first, you know?"

Finally he looked at her. "Excuse me?"

"You told me you loved me first. When we hunting for the treasure of Treasure Island?"

"Sydney! We were buried up to our necks in sand! I thought we were going to die!"

"You still said it first!"  
"I said it because…I only meant it in…in a friendly way."

"You've said it to me since."

He flushed. Yes, in a desperate, dangerous moment, or a ridiculously humorous one they had both said it to each other, but it had not the meaning it did now. "I...It…That was different!"

"Why?"

Yes, why was it different, his subconscious argued? Are you sure you didn't mean it any of those other times? Perhaps you just thought you were safe saying it because Sydney would never suspect you meant it. And now that she wants you to mean it, you can't say it. You're so totally screwed old man!

"Must we discuss this now?" he moaned, trying to silence the nagging voice in his head.  
"No." She relented and leaned her head against his. "Thank you for this, Nigel. It's been a dream of mine."

"Has it really?"  
"Yes. A fair came to Hawaii one year when I was about eight, just before my mom passed away. They had a hot air balloon and the man was selling rides on it. Dad would have let me go, but my mother put her foot down. She refused to leave her only daughter to some flighty, gaseous contraption."

"So you never got to ride?"

She shook her head and then turned her gaze to him. "Not until now." She loved how he smiled at her, pleased but still so shy. "Whatever made you think of this?"

"Well, you're an adrenalin junkie…"

"Nigel!"

"Well, you are! Anyway, I wanted to do something you'd enjoy and as we've both already managed some form of repelling, skydiving or bunji jumping, I thought this would be nice." He grinned. "Plus, it is far easier on my own constitution than the others have been."

"Well, it's perfect, so thank you."

"You're welcome, but the day is far from over."

Her eyes lit with amusement. "Oh, what else have you in store for us?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

They stood comfortably and enjoyed the view as the balloon moved sideways over houses, businesses, trees and golf courses.

"It's so quiet up here," she murmured, awed.

"Yes." Nigel inhaled deeply, thoroughly enjoying cleaner air, the quiet and the solitude. "I like being up here."

"Have you ridden in this before?"

He nodded. "Stanley lives in my building," he stated and then, horrified, remembered he hadn't even introduced them. "Good God! I'm so sorry." He spun around to the older gentleman who was quietly maintaining the balloon's altitude. "Syd, this is my neighbor Stanley Penitucci. Stanley, my…" Well he wasn't her boss anymore, he was her partner, but that didn't sound right. They were married but not really. They were trying to be more than friends…God, what the hell did he call her?

"I'm his girlfriend," Sydney grinned and Nigel gaped at her as she offered her hand to the older man, who shook it and smiled broadly.

"About time this one get's one of those!" he decided watching Nigel flush scarlet. "Always he is working, only time to himself and he has nose in the book. No time for a lady. That is not good in one so young."

"I…I'm sure you're exaggerating, Stanley," Nigel muttered shoving his hands in his jacket pockets; a sure sign of his discomfort.

Sydney grinned. "How did you get into Hot Air Ballooning, Stanley?"

"A retirement gift from my children. I work hard for sixty years, then they tell me I must retire. I do not know what to do with myself, and so my children they give me this." He grinned again, his eyes twinkling. "They know me better than I know myself. I give rides to young children and…" He smiles again. "Lovely couples, and I make good business."

"Have you taken Nigel up many times?"

"Yes, when I first get her, he help me learn these things. So smart this one. Knows more than such an old man as me. He help me fly her in the beginning, we learn together, but only when he is not working." He frowned suddenly. "His boss always has him working. No time for himself. That is not good for a young man."

"Stanley…" Nigel warned.

"I tell him, he need to get new boss, but he won't. Says he would be lost with out this boss." He snorted in discontent. "I tell him he better off, but he act like I ask him to cut off his leg or something!"

"Stanley!" Nigel's face goes beat red again.

"So, instead of seeing a pretty lady, he sits and helps an old man learn to fly." Stanley stares at Nigel affectionately. "He help an old man make his dreams come true and so, for him I will fly him and any of his friends anywhere he wants to go." He scowls again. "But not his boss. I will not fly such a person who makes a young man too tired to see the pretty girls."

"Stanley!" Nigel was pleading now. "This…This is _Professor_ Sydney Fox!" He cleared his throat, anxiously. "The…the person I…I've been working for."

Stanley's eyes widen and he actually flushes as he looks Sydney up and down. "You work for this one?" he asks Nigel who nods bleakly.

"Not anymore," Sydney reminded, not in the least upset at Stanley's words. "I realized what a monopolizing bitch I was being and sacked him for both our sakes. He has a new job now, as a college professor."

"Syd!" Nigel stared at her, shocked that she would say such things about herself, things that had no truth whatsoever.

"And now you are in a romance, eh?"

"He just can't get enough of me, I guess," Sydney smiled.

Nigel glared at her, not the least bit amused. "Apparently not!"

Stanley laughed, surprising them both. "This is good! I am glad to hear this!" He gripped Nigel's arms and pulled him in to kiss both his cheeks. "You deserve this!" He then did the same to Sydney. "I am very happy his boss no longer his boss, but his lady. This is good!" He moved back to the controls and they started to slowly descend. "And here we come to your spot, my boy."

Sydney glanced over the side and noticed they were gliding across the White Mountains, past the tourist attractions, ski rides and loggings. There was no snow on the mountain yet, not for several months at least, and the lush greenery and rocky cliffs were a wondrous sight to behold from their vantage point.

"What _are_ you up to?" she asked, turning to Nigel, curious.

"It's a surprise," he returned as they dropped lower and lower until Stanley finally settled the balloon on a large, secluded area of grassland. "Thanks, Stanley." He smiles at the older gentleman as he reached across to unlatch the basket hatch "Back at two?"

Stanley grins and nods as Nigel and Sydney step out of the basket. "Have fun you two!"

"Is he leaving?" Sydney asks as Nigel secures the basket hatch and pulls her back while Stanley ejects hot air into the balloon and starts to rise. "Why are we here?"

"You'll see," he insisted taking her hand and moved across the grass to where it started to dip down into a small, hidden glade dotted with wildflowers and a patch of shorter grass edged around an enormous oak tree.

Sydney smiled at the butterflies humming around the wildflowers and noticed they were high enough on the mountain that if she reached her hand up, it felt as if she might touch a passing cloud.

She kicked off her shoes, picked them up and wandered over the grass to peer out over the cliff's edge, which offers a fantastic view of the river far below. However did Nigel know such a secluded, magical spot existed?

She turns and spots a large picnic blanket, as well as a basket and a guitar case by the tree. She grinned, hoping he meant to play for her. "Are we having a picnic?"

"We are indeed, and before we do." He holds out his hand. "Mobile, please?" Her eyes dance as she hands it over and watches him switch it off. He tosses both their phones in the picnic basket "There, no distractions."

"What about ants?"

"There will be no ants at this picnic." He shrugged out of his jacket and then helped her out of hers, it was warmer in the sunshine than it had been on the balloon ride. "I was up here earlier and have posted tiny No Trespassing Signs all around us."

"What if they can't read English?"

"Professor Fox, I am fluent in eight languages and familiar with eleven more. Don't you think I can manage a few words in Formicidae?"

Sydney laughed and bowed her head. "Why Professor Bailey, I firmly believe there is nothing you can't do."

He flushed with pleasure. "Well, there is, loads in fact, but we shan't get into that."

"No, we shan't."

He grinned and knelt on the blanket to start pulling containers out of the picnic basket and Sydney, eager to see what they were having, settled beside him and opened each one. Cold fried chicken, a container of sliced vegetables with a creamy dipping sauce, potato salad, four scotch eggs, a gathering of grapes, and a large bag of Sydney's favorite flavored chips.

"Oh my!" Her smile widened when he revealed a bottle of wine as well. "I'm impressed!"

"That is the intent," he replied as he handed her the plastic plates and napkins and retrieved two actual wine glasses.

"Where did you get all this food? I know you didn't make it."

"For your information, I did have a hand in some of it."

"Oh?"  
"Yes, I sliced the vegetables, purchased the wine, the grapes and the crisps."

She laughed and held up the scotch eggs, her mouth watering. "And these?"

"Courtesy of Professor Quinn." He found the corkscrew and opened the wine to

let it breathe. "Chicken and salad too." He smirked. "I merely mentioned that I was taking you on a picnic, during our usual tea on Thursday, and there she was this morning, at my door, while I am diligently slicing vegetables, giving me this enormous bloody basket with her highest regards."

Sydney smiled, she knew about the standing date he had with the university's Herbology Professor, a tiny welsh woman who had lived in the states for several decades and considered Nigel her little taste of home. Whenever he could make it, he had tea with her in the afternoons on Thursdays and they discussed herbs, plants and books.

"Then I'm sure we'll both enjoy it."

He poured the wine as Sydney held their glasses, then set the wine aside and

touched his glass to Sydney's. "To enjoying the day."

She smiled and took a sip. She was already having the time of her life, and he assured her that the day wasn't over. "Mmmm, this is really good." She leaned over and picked up the bottle, her eyes widening at the label. "Nigel!" The wine was over a hundred dollars a bottle.

He pulled the wine away and placed it back where he had it. "You're not supposed to be looking at that," he reminded and crossed his legs as she took over delving out their food onto the plates. "Or doing that either."

She smirked at him. "Enjoy it, Nigel." They both knew she did not fit the standard role of the docile, little woman, but for today she'd play the part, at least for awhile.

"Okay." He accepted the plate she offered and set his wine on the small, flat block he had produced for their glasses to keep them from spilling. "Thank you."

They ate in comfort and chatted about school and some of the new students. Every semester Sydney would pick out the slackers in her class and she and Nigel would plot to turn them into A students.

Nigel pushed his plate aside and stretched out his legs across the blanket. "Now I remember why I don't sit like this very often." He was startled when Sydney, who was sitting with her legs curled to the side, patted her legs invitingly. After only a moment's hesitation, he moved closer to her, laid his head on her lap then stretched out, releasing a quiet hum of contentment.

"Are you full?" she asked as she plucked a grape from the cluster and held it enticingly over his mouth.

Oh God! Sydney was going to feed him grapes? This was a fantasy come true, and it unnerved him to be living it. "Um…I…I could manage a…another bite…" Or two, or five, or however many she wanted to feed him.

He parted his lips and accepted the grape she offered, closing his eyes at the delicious taste of the fruit and the intimacy of how he received it. When he opened his eyes again, she was smiling down at him, holding another grape.

Again his lips parted, but this time she kept her fingers on the fruit as it entered his mouth, so that he tasted both her and the tangy goodness of the grape. Then another, and another, each time she allowed him to suck her fingers further in with the grape.

He had to stifle a moan and hoped that she didn't notice the sudden stretching at the front of his jeans, but she kept her beautiful dark eyes locked to his and despite the breeze he started to sweat.

Sydney, smiling at the intoxicating mixture of desire and utter contentment that creased his face and reached for another grape, only to have her progress stalled by Nigel's hand on her wrist as he sat up and stared at her. She felt her breath catch and her temperature spike as his eyes changed before her to a deep, smoldering blue.

"Sydney." Her name came out as a low growl and to hear Nigel, her sweet, unassuming Nigel saying her name with such menacing passion almost pushed her over the edge.

She dropped the grape, caught his hair in her free hand and pulled his mouth to hers. She moaned as he turned the tables on her, taking full possession of her mouth in a way that left her breathless. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back onto the blanket with her, so their bodies were flush against each other.

God! Sydney tasted of wine and food and of so many delicious things he couldn't name them all. He delved further into her mouth as his hand caressed then squeezed her hip, he adored the heavy, full curve of Sydney's hips and much preferred them to those of skinner girls, who felt far too bony for his liking.

Sydney thrust her hands up under Nigel's shirt, her fingers desperate to feel his skin against her fingers, his smooth, warm skin that gave her such pleasure to touch. She slid her hands around to his back, pulling him closer against her as their tongues danced, and lifted her hips invitingly against his obvious arousal.

She was startled and hurt when he suddenly pulled back and sat up. "What's wrong?"

"N…nothing," he managed, gasping in an attempt to catch his breath and closing his eyes to regain some of his self control. He opened them again and stared off over the horizon. He gathered his courage and smiled down at her, reveling in the sight of her swollen lips and passionate, flashing eyes. "Everything is right, Syd." He reached forward and caressed her cheek. "So very…unexpectedly right."

Sydney felt a flush of heat engulf her and she beamed at him, her heart doing triple summersaults in her chest. She expected him to come back to her, to take her there, under the sunshine and clouds on their picnic blanket, but instead he rose and retrieved his guitar out of the case.

"I believe I promised you a song." He settled on the blanket again, with a bit more distance between them.

Sydney swallowed her disappointment, surprised that he denied himself the opportunity to make love to her, when so many other men would not have. She realized that was what separated all the others from her Englishman.

Forcing back her desire, she gave him a bright smile sat up and clapped her hands. "Hallelujah!"

"There is a catch."  
She scowled. "Oh?"

"If I play, you have to sing."

She gaped at him, horrified. "Nigel!" She never sang, not even in the shower. "I can't sing!"

"You can. You will, or I won't play."

She cringed. "Oh, come on! I've got a horrible voice!"

"You have a lovely voice."

"When I'm talking! Not when I'm singing!" She put her hands together in a silent plea. "Nigel, birds commit suicide when I sing." His startled, unbridled laughter rang out and she tingled with pleasure, then suddenly she wanted to make him laugh more. "It's true! They run full tilt into my windows, trying to end their pain! Dogs howl and donkeys bay, trying to drown me out. I. Am. Awful."

"Oh stop! You're exaggerating."

"I'm not!"

He set the guitar aside and shrugged. "Okay, no song then."

"No!" She picked up the guitar and pushed it at him. "Please play for me? I really want to hear you play."

"Only if you sing."

She bit her lip and pouted while he idly strummed the guitar, tempting her to want more. She groaned. She hated doing things she was no good at. "Will you sing with me, at least?" Maybe with his beautiful voice he wouldn't hear hers as much.

"Okay, but I'll only sing on the chorus." Her expression fell even more and he took pity on her. "Syd, it's only the two of us here. If I can have the courage to play for you, you should have the courage to sing for me."

"You'll hate it," she muttered. "You'll hate me. I hope your glasses aren't in your pocket because the lenses will probably break."

Nigel grinned, he had never seen Sydney so self-conscious! He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss on her lips, startling her. "You're beautiful when you're bashful, Ms. Fox."

She smirked, delighted. "Mrs. Fox-Bailey, to you," she reminded and watched him flush. At least on paper she still was.

"Well Mrs…" He cleared his throat. "Fox-B...Bailey, are you going to sing for your supper or not?" God it felt good to say her name with his, even if it was only in name only.

"This was brunch actually." She grinned when he glared at her, and sat up on her knees. "Very well, Mr. Bailey, but you have been warned."

"So noted. What would you like to sing?"

"Something short and simple."

Nigel thought for a moment then started to strum Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He released a high pitched giggle as Sydney shoved him sideways. "Okay, okay." He conceded grinning as he righted himself and his guitar. "Do you know this one?" He played the chords for Stand By Me.

"I think so," she grinned. "But I have no idea when to start."

"I'll nod to you," he offered and played the chords again, then continuing into the song and nodded for her to begin.

"When the night has come and the land is dark…" She winced at the hesitant, uneven sound of her own voice and waited for him to balk. "And the moon is the only light we see." She actually blushed as Nigel offered her his special smile and it gave her courage to continue. "No, I won't…be afraid, oooohh, I won't be afraid." She grinned at him, because the words were quite perfect for them. "Just as long as you stand, stand by me."

Nigel added his voice to hers and she was startled at the sweet melody it created.

"So darlin', darlin', stand by me, oooohhh, stand by me. Oh, stand, stand by me. Stand by me."

"If the sky that we look upon, should tumble and fall," Sydney continued solo

and, because he hadn't cringed once, her voice grew stronger as she sang. "Or the mountain, should crumble to the sea. I won't cry. I won't cry. She grinned and shook her head at him, getting into the song. "No, I won't shed a tear. Just as long as you stand, stand by me."

"And darlin', darlin', stand by me!" They sang together. "Oh stand by me Oh stand now, stand by me. Stand by me."

Nigel played the bridge and watched as Sydney swayed to the sound, lifting her arms over her head as if she was at an actual concert and making him laugh again, but he never missed a chord.

Sydney couldn't get over the incredible freedom she suddenly felt just singing! She'd been told she had a horrible voice when she was younger, and then she had heard herself in a choir solo at school on video and she realized the awfulness of it, yet Nigel didn't seem to mind her singing at all; or he was just very good at hiding his distaste.

Still, she marveled at how liberating it felt just to sing and listen to Nigel play and sing with her.

"Darlin', darlin', stand by me, oooohh, stand by me. Oh, stand, now. Stand by me, stand by me. Whenever you're in trouble won't you stand, by me, oooohh stand by me. Stand by me. Stand by me."

Slowly their voices faded and Nigel stopped strumming. They sat grinning at each other and then suddenly he said. "I should have listened."

She gaped at him in outrage and launched herself at him, giving him barely enough time to push his instrument aside before he was flat on his back. "You jerk!" she laughed straddling him as she grabbed his wrists and pinning them over his head.

"I'm kidding!" he giggled. "I think you have a lovely voice, Sydney."

"You're still going to be punished!" She was surprised and delighted when his eyes suddenly sparked in interest. "Nigel! I didn't think you were into that sort of thing?"

"You've no idea what I'm into," he tossed back, grinning. "However, you're hands are currently in use holding mine, and if you release me, you won't catch me long enough to punish me, so I believe the threat is moot; don't you?"

His deliberate challenge caused a surge of sexual energy to spike through her and she leaned down so her face was only a centimeter from his. "There are other ways," she assured dangerously and heard his breath hitch. "Shall I show you, Mr. Bailey?"

God Yes! His raging libido cried as he wet his suddenly dry lips with his tongue, unable to pull his gaze from hers for even an instant. "I…" He swallowed, hard. He wanted very much for her to show him, but he also hadn't wanted their date to be ruled by their incredible chemistry.

He was striving for something else, and as much as his body screamed to let her have her way with him, his heart reminded him of the plan. "R…rain check?"

She smiled, hiding her disappointment again and sat up, releasing him. "Okay." She had to remind herself that he wanted to go slow.

No one had ever bothered to take the time to properly court her before. By the second date she usually ended up in bed with her suitors, because of a mutual attraction, and once they'd bedded her, they no longer tried very hard to woo her. It was her own fault, really, but still a hard habit to break. With Nigel, she honestly didn't know what to do, how to behave, and that both worried and intrigued her.

She handed him the guitar. "Play another for me?" she requested. "This time just you sing."

He sat up and adjusted the guitar over his lap, fighting his shyness and telling himself that Sydney wouldn't ask if she didn't really want to hear him. "What do you fancy?"

"Um…How about that Elvis on you were playing the other day?"

"Um…" There was no way he could sing that to her without bursting into flames. "Another time." He plucked the guitar strings thoughtfully. "Hmm…Oh, I know." He started to play and watched Sydney's eyes widened in recognition. She loved this song, but she was surprised that Nigel knew it, aside from Elvis she only ever heard him listen to classical music

"All the leaves are brown, and the sky is grey…"

"The sky is grey!" Sydney echoed grinning and making him smile

"I've been for a walk, on a winter's day…"

"On a winter's day!"

"I'd be safe and warm, if I was in L.A. California Dreamin'" He tried to keep from laughing as Sydney continued to do the echoed melody and they sang the entire song, together ,repeating the chorus several times because neither of them wanted to stop.

"That was awesome!" she laughed. "I flashed back to college for a minute there!"

"When you were a cheerleader?"

She laughed again at his piqued interest. "Get over the cheerleader thing, already!"

"I can't! Not until I at least see a picture or something."

She shook her head and stretched out on the blanket, then held out her hand to him. "Lay down with me?"

He complied, set his guitar aside and settled on his back beside her. His belly was full, his heart thumping and his mind racing at the possibilities of what was happening between them.

"What are you thinking?" she asked quietly.

"Many things," he admitted.

"Will you share?"

"No." He turned his head sideways to look at her and immediately amended his statement. "It…it's hard for me, Syd." He reached for her hand, brought it to his lips and kissed her fingers. "I…I'm trying to…to show you, instead."

She smiled, she could live with that. "Okay." She turned on her side. "Can we snuggle?" He smiled and nodded, opening his arm so she could curl up against him and he wrapped his arm around her. She sighed, contented and laid her head on his chest.

"It isn't that I don't want to, Syd," he murmured as he stroked her hair. "I do, very much."

"I know, Nigel." She lifted her head and smiled down at him. "I appreciate the… leisure of what you're doing. It's just a different…pace for me."

"For both of us, really." He sighed and placed his other arm over his head. It felt nice, lying there in the sunshine, no one chasing them, no exams to grade or riddles to solve for a relic. "I do miss this, Syd."

"Picnics?"

"No. Lying with you, next to you. My…my bed is desperately lonely with just me in it."

"There better be only you in it," she warned mildly and he chuckled. "You can move back in with me any time you want, Nigel."

"Really?"

"Really."

He grew quiet again, touched by the offer. "Syd?"

"Hmmm?"

He fell silent again, fear overtaking his voice. Nope, he wasn't ready to ask that question yet. He slowly sat up and reached for the wine. "More to drink?"

Sydney leaned up on her elbow, aware that he was deliberately avoiding something, but she just smiled. "I'd love some." She waited as he refilled their glasses and then he mirrored her pose facing her, close but not touching.

"Are you having a good time, Syd?"

His question was hesitant, shy, as if he wasn't sure of what her answer would be.

"I'm having a wonderful time, Nigel. I don't remember ever having a nicer time."

A huge smile split his face. "I…I'm glad." He reached for her hand with his free one. "Really, Syd, I…I want you to know that…well that…" Unable to quite look her in the eye, his gaze lingered over her arm, then her wrist and the small silver watch that reside there. "Oh, hell! Is that the time?"

He hopped up, corked the wine and started putting things back in the basket. "We're behind schedule!"

She smothered a groan of frustration wondering what he was about to confess, and quickly helped gather up the food. "We have a schedule?"

"We do." He secured the lid on the basket as Sydney set his guitar back in its case. "Thanks, Syd."

"What else do you have planned for us, Mr. Bailey?"

"You'll see," he assured as snatched up the basket and his guitar and started for the hill they had descended earlier. "Come on then, don't…"

"Dawdle!" she laughed, snatching up their jackets and her purse and hurrying after him. "Honestly, Nigel! Sometimes you are so….so British!"

He laughed as they climbed just as the top of Stanley's balloon came into view.


	39. Chapter 39

Disclaimer: RH Not mine. So glad everyone is enjoying this. Thank you so much for the reviews, they really keep me going! Warning, this is another long chapter. Sorry, can't be helped. the muses are in full force and they just won't stop!

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**CHAPTER 39**

Sydney sat back and pushed her plate away, fully stuffed by the fantastic dish of Lobster she'd ordered. "I couldn't eat another bite!"

Nigel grinned. He had finished a few minutes earlier and was sipping a cup of coffee. "Not even cheesecake?"

"Not even cheesecake!" she laughed and thought back over their day so far.

A ride in a hot air balloon, a lovely secluded picnic, which had included a fun sing-a-long, then Stanley had taken them back to the park by her house, where Nigel asked to drive her jeep to their next destination in the city for The Warhorse play. Sydney had truly enjoyed it, and even teared-up a few times through the show and Nigel had been riveted.

It was amazing to considered everything she had learned about him in just one short day. She never would have taken Nigel for a theatre person, unless it was opera, but he had told her once that sort of singing didn't appeal to him. He seemed to like the classics in music and books, but he owned an eclectic mix of movies and science fiction novels. He knew how to fly a hot air balloon, was a very good neighbor, according to Stanley, and knew how to sing and play the guitar.

She smiled. He had a romantic streak miles long, and could be delectably playful when he was relaxed. She wondered how any woman could have ever said no to him?

After the play, Nigel took her to a nice seafood restaurant at a local marina for supper and they enjoyed a lovely conversation over dinner, discussing everything from relics, to books, to favorite movie lines and places they would one day like to go which soon led to a humors recollection of all the places they had been.

Before they realized it the hour had grown late, but Sydney didn't want the evening to end. She had a craving to learn even more about Nigel.

"Could we go for a walk?" she asked as Nigel paid the bill.

"If you like."

They rose and stepped out into the evening air and Sydney slid her arm through Nigel's and pulled him towards the docks. "This reminds me of London," she said as they strolled past boats of all shapes and sizes. "Though not as foggy."

He smirked but didn't comment.

"I like the smell of the ocean. I don't know if I could live anywhere that I couldn't at least drive to the sea."

"Must be the island girl in you."

"Must be," She smiled.

"Do you miss home much, Syd?"

"Not really. Now and then I get the need to go home, but we travel so much for work most times I just want to get back to my loft and relax." She glanced at him. "How about you? Do you miss London?"

"I do and I don't. I miss certain things about living there, but we get back there fairly often through one thing or another, so I don't think it is as bad as if I never got home."

Sydney nodded in agreement. "Favorite thing about London?"

"The history of it, and how so much, yet so little has changed. How about you?"

"Hmmm...aside from the sea, I think I miss the tranquility of home. There are still places you can go that are totally untouched by civilization. Where you can be alone and at peace and just be stress free."

"Hmmm...I'm all for the old world feel, but I like my modern conveniences."

"Favorite song of all time?"

"God, I don't know." He kissed her cheek, shyly. "Stand By Me may be my new favorite."

She grinned, pleased at his answer. "Okay, now you ask me something."

"Oh, twenty questions is it?"

"No, just getting to know you."

"You do know me, Syd."

"Know you better."

"All right. Um…What is the worst food you have ever eaten?"

"Raw Octopus." She shivered at the memory. "It was disgusting!"

"Why in God's name would you eat that raw?"

She shrugged. "It was a dare."

He smirked and shook his head at her as she asked another question.

"Who would you like to meet most in the world, dead or alive?"

"That's a hard choice." He really had to think about that one. "I think…" He shook his head as a thought entered his mind.

"What? Who?" she nudged him, gently. "Come on, I won't laugh, I promise."

"Well, almost immediately I considered Sir. Gabriel." He flushed when she smiled at him. "But then I thought of someone I…I'd rather meet more, actually."

"Who?"

Again he flushed and stared out over the water. "Your mother."

Sydney's breath caught and stopped walking to stare at him, stupefied. "W…why?"

Another shrug. "I…I just thought it would be…lovely to meet her. You hold such affection for her, such respect and love when you talk about her. It would be nice to…to ask her what you were like as a child and…and I'd very much like to meet the remarkable woman who…" He lifted his gaze to hers. "Created someone as amazing as you."

Sydney felt tears blind her and she had to blink several times to focus. She had never, ever, had anyone say something so sincere, so moving. "I…" She tried to swallow the sudden lump in her throat. "I could…tell you what I was like as a child."

He shook his head. "You won't even show me a picture of you as a cheer leader."

She laughed in both surprise and release. "Oh, Nigel." She wanted throw herself at him and let him make love to her for the rest of the evening, but she didn't because she was learning to respect his wishes. "You could always ask my dad?"

"Ah…no. He'll start in on me about my bloody intentions again."

She grinned feeling light-headed and care-free all of a sudden. "You, sir, are one of a kind."

"Hmmm…"

"Okay." Sydney squeezed his arm and they continued walking. "You're turn."

"For what?"

"Ask me a question."

"Oh. Um...What is the absolute favorite destination of all the places we've been together.

"Scotland."

"Really?"

She nodded. "I love the old world feel of it, and the people are wonderful."

He smiled in agreement.

"When did you lose your virginity?"

He flushed. "Several years ago."

"Nigel!"

"It's an answer." He retorted. "When did you lose yours?"

"I was fourteen."

"God! Really?"

She nodded and shrugged. "I've always been…" She searched for the right word.

"Promiscuous?"

She smirked. "No."

"A sex maniac?"

"No!" Well, maybe…She glared at him and then grinned. "Mature for my age."

"Ah."

"I was lonely and he was the son of a man who worked with my dad."

"How old was he?"

"Six…no seventeen I think."

"Hmmm." He couldn't, no wouldn't judge her. "Was he your boyfriend?"

"He wanted to be, but once the job was done I never saw him again."

"Did your father know?"

"God no! He'd have torn poor Peter apart!"

"Yes, well…"

"Who was your first time with?" she asked, making the question more direct this time. "And don't say with a girl or I will punch you."

"You'd rather I said it was with a boy, then?"

"Nigel!" she gaped at him and watched his lips twitch. "Really?"

"No!" he scoffed. "God, Sydney. I am not gay!"

"Hey, everyone experiments as a teenager."

"I didn't. Not…not in that area anyway."

Her eyebrows rose. "Oh?" That was an intriguing statement. "What areas did you experiment with?"

"W…what was the question?"

"What areas did you experiment in?"

"The…the other question, before that one."

Sydney smirked and let him off the hook. "Who was your first time with?"

"However did we get on this topic, anyway?"

"Just answer the question, Bailey." She nudged him with her hip. "Come on. We're friends, just pretend I'm one of your school mates."

"What difference would that make?"

"Well, obviously you would have talked about it with them."

"No, I didn't."

"You're telling me you never talked about girls with your school mates?"

"No." He shook his head. "Never."

An unsettling feeling washed over her. "What did you talk to your friends about?"

"I didn't have any mates at school."

Her eyes widened and she stopped to face him again. "What do you mean? You must have had at least one?"

He shook his head. "I was two grades ahead of the boys my age, Syd. They…I just didn't…fit in there."

She realized now why he might not have enjoyed boarding school as she had. "Well…What did you do when you were at school then?"

"Studied, read, helped out my professors when they asked."

Sydney tilted her head. "You mean…this was for grade school, and high school, right?"

"And university."

"Nigel!" She gaped; appalled that he hadn't enjoyed a more traditional party life at university at least. "Didn't you…You never went out for a beer, or to a party?"

He shook his head. "Not really."

"What about Amanda? Didn't you date her in University?"

"I met her just after I finished university, but I only saw her on long weekends or breaks. She went to a catholic school on the coast and was a couple of years younger than I."

"Was she your first?"

"No, but she was….I thought I loved her." He grew quiet and took a particular interest in the large yacht moored beside them.

Sydney realized that was probably the reason he'd had such a hard time with Preston dating his old girlfriend. She'd been his first love. "I'm sorry, Nigel."

"Why? You didn't betray me for my brother." He bit his lip, angry to have let his feelings slip out. "Anyway, it's over and done with."

Sydney felt her heart sink at the idea that he may have had missed out on so much. She tried to lighten the mood. "Was your first time with a cheerleader?"

He smirked. "Not hardly."

"Oh come on, tell me!" she grinned. She could see him sliding through high school without having the girls after him, he'd gone to an all-boy's school, but there was no way he hadn't had plenty of opportunity in a co-ed university; not with his looks. "I told you!"

"I don't want to do this anymore, Sydney."

"Why? We should be able to tell each other everything by now. Right?"

He sighed when she pouted, it was so very rare for her to use her wiles on him, that he was absolutely helpless when she did. "Mrs. Geneva."

Her eyebrows rose. "An older woman? Married?"

He frowned, offended. "Widowed!"

"I see." She scowled. "How much older?"

"Old enough."

Her eyes widened and slowly she grinned. "You dog you!"

"Whatever does that mean?"

"It's a saying; it means you're a sly, naughty devil."

"I'm nothing of the kind!"

"You let an older woman seduce you! That means there is far more to you than I realized."

"Who says she seduced me?"

"I've seen how you are around women, Nigel. She had to have been the one making all the moves."

He grinned suddenly, as if in memory. "She had some moves, all right."

"Nigel!" she gaped at him, in both shock and amusement. Then with a grin she added. "Is she the one responsible for making you so fantastic in bed?"

He smiled fondly. "Well, she did insist that practice really does make perfect."

Sydney laughed. "Oh really? Did she have her way with you?"

"Thankfully, yes." He grinned, caught her arm and continued walking. "But only after I trailed after her like a bloody puppy, for an entire year, at least when I was home from school. Offering to help her in her garden, carry in her groceries, that sort of thing."

"Major crush then?"

"I was completely smitten. I thought she was the most beautiful, exotic creature I had ever laid eyes on."

"How old were you?"

He smirked, she wasn't going to give up on the age thing. "Older than fourteen," he retorted. "She was our next door neighbor and she looked like Sophia Loren, when she was younger, I mean."

"How long did it last?"

"Just for a summer, but it was probably the best summer of my life." He caressed the hand that held his arm. "Until now, anyway."

"Likewise," she smiled and then shivered.

"Are you cold?"

"It's a little chilly by the water."

Nigel immediately removed his jacket and held it for her to slide her arms into. "Better?"

His jacket was deliciously warm and smelled of leather and Aramis. "Yes. Thanks." She slid her arm through his again and turned back the way they had come. "Are you still in touch with her?"

"No. She moved home to Italy once I headed to University. I never saw her again."

"Aha!" Sydney pounced. "So it was while you were in high school!"

"What difference does it make?" he asked. "My age was never a factor, Syd. I was never treated as a child. I was too smart, too sensible, too bloody…" He growled and shook his head, looking away from her.

"Nigel…I didn't mean…"

"I've been an adult since I was nine, Sydney, and nothing can change that. Nothing can give me a childhood that I wasn't meant to have. My parents died and I had to be a man. My world was shattered and I had to be a man. I was smarter than everyone else so I had to go to a better school, and I had to be a man." He sighed, suddenly. "There's no sense crying about it. It's done. It's all done, so buck up, be a man and deal with it." He increased his pace slightly. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Okay," she agreed and they walked in silence back towards the restaurant parking lot. She didn't speak again until they arrived back at her jeep. "I am sorry, Nigel."

He shook his head. "Syd, I just don't care to talk about myself, but if we're to have a proper relationship then I need to get past that. I didn't mean to bark at you, and I am sorry for doing so."

"You had the right..."

"I don't." He held open her passenger side door and smiled at her. "Is there anywhere else you'd like to go?"

She returned his smile and shook her head, they'd had a very full day, a very memorable date. "Everything has been perfect, I can't think of one more thing to add."

He beamed at her and settled in the driver's side. It wasn't often that Sydney allowed him to drive, but today was different. "Home it is then."

Sydney buckled her seatbelt and smiled at him again; enjoying the competent way he drove as they pulled out of the lot and quickly navigated to the highway. A proper relationship, he'd said, well any proper relationship should have a proper ending.

"Do you want me to drive you to your place and I'll go home from there?"

"No, I'm driving you home."

"But, Nigel…"

"It's how this is done, Syd. Now hush."

She grinned at his old-fashioned ways and turned to look out her window. They had stopped at Nigel's, before heading into the city, so he could drop off his guitar and the picnic supplies, but hadn't lingered. It seemed silly for him to drive her all the way back to her place, then have to find another way home for himself, but if that was what he wanted.

A thought occurred to her that maybe he didn't intend to go back to his place tonight? Maybe he was hoping she would ask him to stay over? It would certainly be the perfect ending to the perfect day, but she had promised not to pressure him. He'd refused her attention twice already today, should she try again and risk upsetting him?

They drove in silence out of the city and over the short journey on the highway. Sydney deep in thought as she fondly recalled pieces of their day, while Nigel concentrated on the road ahead. The sky had grown dark and the further away they got from the city the brighter the stars twinkled above them.

Sydney could not remember ever being so impressed on a date, or ever having such a good time. She hoped Nigel had enjoyed himself as much as she, but he was so reserved sometimes she just couldn't tell.

"You're very quiet," he commented as he pulled onto her street.

She smiled at him. "Just mulling things over."

"Ah. Sorry for the interruption then. Mull away."

She smirked and watched him shift gears, as they slowed and pulled into the parking lot across the street from her apartment building. She never realized how sexy he looked when he drove, the easy way he held the wheel, the relaxed way he sat, while his eyes remained ever vigilant. Even the way his right hand lay on the gear stick, just in case.

He switched off the engine and removed his seatbelt, glancing her way and was startled to find she was watching him. "What?"

She grinned and shook her head as she released her belt and opened her door. "Are you going to walk me up?"

"If you like."

"How are you going to get home?"

"Same way I got here." He tossed her the keys as they entered the building and Sydney entered her security code for the door.  
"Which was?"

"A lovely modern convenience that can be found in almost any urban area." He pulled open the door when it buzzed free and held it as she walked through. "They call them taxis."

"Smart alec." She hit the elevator button and returned his grin.

"Did you have a good time, Syd? Truly?"

"I had an awesome time. How about you?"

"Fantastic."

She smiled again as they stepped out and moved to her loft door. She paused, turned to face him and walked her fingers up the front of his shirt "Care to finish off the day with a night cap?" She was offering him far more than a drink, and he was aware of it because she watched the brief internal struggle flicker across his face.

"I should probably say no."

She tilted her head. "Are you saying no?"

Her question brought back another nagging thought that had been playing over and over in his head. Sydney hadn't wanted him before they'd needed to create a farce for his Visa; she'd made it clear that she hadn't. What changed her mind? What truly changed her heart?

"Why, Syd?" he asked suddenly.

She smiled slyly and stroked his chin. "Because practice makes perfect."

"No." He grinned and flushed before he could help himself, and then grew solemn again. "I…I mean…why did your feelings change?"

She stared at him. "I...They just did, I guess."

"You never felt this way about me before, not in seven years together. Something must have changed." He lowered his eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets to keep from touching her. "I need to know."

She regarded him quietly for a long time, then turned and unlocked her door. She slid the door open and stepped inside. "I don't know," she admitted, honestly. "I think, deep down I've always felt more, but I was afraid to admit it because…"

His eyes lifted, curious. "Because?"

She turned back, found him still on the threshold. "For the same reason you're afraid to admit how you feel now. I was worried it would ruin our relationship, and somehow come between us."

"And you don't feel that way anymore?"

She shrugged and set her keys on the counter. "I do, but…I'm willing to take the risk, Nigel. That's the real difference, I guess." She stepped closer so that they were on opposite sides of the doorway. "I don't want to wonder anymore. I don't want to over think it, I just…I want to know and experience it."

He held her gaze and put his hands on either side of the door frame, as if preventing himself from entering her loft. "I'm afraid, Syd. I don't know why." He admitted softly. "I've said it before but it's true. I…I don't want to hurt you. I don't want you to…hurt me."

She nodded, soberly. "It's a risk, Nigel. Our biggest one yet."

"There are so many factors, Syd. So…so many ways it can go wrong."

She reached across the doorway and touched his face. "And so many ways it can go right." She'd meant to seduce him, playfully, romantically, but it was obvious they needed to talk. "Come on. Come inside." She offered her hand. "I'll pour us some wine and we can talk."

Nigel's internal struggle was visibly apparent, at least to her. His eyes flickered everywhere but her, and the small muscle on the left side of his jaw jumped erratically. Finally, he took her hand and stepped across.

"Why don't you find some music and I'll get the wine?" She moved to the kitchen, retrieved a half full bottle of red wine and poured them each a generous glass.

Nigel looked through her CD's then selected ABBA and slid it into her player and the loft filled with the gentle sounds of Our Last Summer. He turned as she approached and watched her smile at his selection.

"Good choice," she agreed as they settled on her sofa with their wine, and faced each other. "So, let's talk."

He played with the rim of his wine glass. "I thought you wanted to…" He flushed as his eyes moved upwards. "Night Cap?"

"We need to clear the air first."

He grabbed one of her throw pillows and placed it in his lap as he turned towards her, a barrier to protect him from her or her from him, he wasn't sure. "Right. So…Talking." He hated this, hated talking about himself or his feelings, but Sydney had the right to ask, didn't she?

"Do you want to have a relationship with me, Nigel?"

He was startled by the bold question. Right then, getting right too it, are we? "I…y…you obviously think we should…try…"

"No. No trying. No doubts. No what ifs. If we do this we do it with our eyes and our hearts wide open."

"I…." he began and then snapped his mouth closed again, before taking a long gulp of wine.

"Talk to me, please?"

"I…I just…Syd, it isn't that I….I mean you and I…" He growled at his own inability to verbalize how he was feeling. He took another sip of his wine, leaned forward to set it on the coffee table then ran his hand through his hair. "I don't…I don't know if I can be what…what you need me to be, Syd."

Her gaze softened. "What do you think I need you to be?"

Another shrug and he refused to meet her eyes.

"Nigel?"

"Bigger. Faster. Stronger."

She smirked. "My crush on the Bionic Man died years ago, Nigel."

He flushed. "That…you know what I mean!" He finally lifted his eyes, but it was to glare at her in exasperation. "You like…Hercules not…not…"

"Cupid?"

"Sydney!"

"Nigel! I love you the way you are…"

"Until some fast-talking Adonis comes along and sweeps you off your feet!"

"Oh Nige," she sighed. "I've already been swept off my feet."

"What?" He paled. "By who?"

She shook her head. "You, idiot."

He blinked. "Sorry?"

"Nigel, today has been the best day I can ever remember. You treated me to more laughter, more surprises, and more romance in one afternoon than all the other men have done in all the years I've been dating."

"R…really?"

She nodded, kindly. "Really." She set her glass down, pulled his protection away scooted forward and slid one leg beneath her as she took his hands. "Why do you doubt yourself so much?"

"Habit," he muttered and was startled when she suddenly growled, grabbed him by the shirt front and pulled him against her to capture his mouth in a kiss filled with a mixture of anger and passion.

Only the need for air caused her to release him and they stared at each other, panting.

"Break the habit," she ordered. "Or I'll beat you within an inch of your life."

His eyes widened at her conviction. "But I…"

"No buts, Nigel. You are a wonderful human being, a fantastic lover, an amazing partner and a loving friend and I won't have you thinking anything else. Understand?"

He nodded, for there was little else he could do, especially as she still had hold of his shirt. Her aggression at his self-depreciation touched him in a way he'd never felt before and instead of feeling offended or ashamed he just felt…cherished.

Sydney released him and sat back again. "Now, where were we?"

"Um….You….you said you…you had a good …um….time today."

"And?" she growled.

"And…and that I…I s…swept you off your feet."

She nodded, satisfied. "Correct. You did exactly that and I won't have you doubting it, Nigel." Her posture relaxed and she reached out to caress his cheek. "You made me so happy today. I felt like a teenager again. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I felt that thrilled? That…free?" She grinned. "For the love of Pete, I actually sang! In public!"

Slowly, he smiled. "I…I'm glad, Syd. I…I had a very good time…um…too." God! He chewed on his lip. "Why is this so hard?" he muttered, more to himself than her.

She squeezed his hands. "Because it's so important

He held her gaze helplessly. "Tell me what to do, Syd." He was having so much trouble making the leap himself, but he would listen to Sydney. He always listened to Sydney. "Tell me what I should do."

"I can't. Not for this."

Again he grew quiet and stared at their joined hands. Sydney remained silent, her only movement was her thumbs caressing his knuckles as she gave him time to consider everything that was happening between them. She thought he was ready when he had asked her on a date, but he was obviously still very confused.

"Do you really love me, Syd?" he asked suddenly, lifting his eyes to hers. "I mean, full on, unconditional once in a life-time, all the way love?"

"All the way, Nigel," she said without hesitation. "And do you know something? Ever since I realized it, and accepted it, I've been so content, so…happy. A little scared, sure, a little anxious, but mostly joyful."

"What if….what if I can't be the…the man you..." He wouldn't say need again; she'd get angry with him. "Deserve, Syd?"

It pained her that his voice was filled with such candid uncertainty. She leaned in and hugged him. "I don't know if I deserve you or not, but you are the man I want, the man I need and desire."

Her words stunned Nigel to the core. No one had ever needed him, wanted him as he was, not like this. Not the way she was claiming. He always had to be taller, or stronger, or smarter, or more sophisticated. He'd been alone for most of his life and he didn't know how to accept such a change.

She caressed his cheek. "You're man I've waited for since I was a little girl, when I wished on a star for my one true love, and no one else has ever come close." She smiled at his gasp of surprise. "The real question is; can I be the woman you need? Can I give you the happiness you deserve? Can I make you happy and content to be with me and no one else?"

His eyes widened, shocked that she could even ask him that. Sydney was a strong, confident woman, she never doubted herself, or him for that matter. How could she even consider that she wasn't good enough for him? The idea was preposterous and…and…unsettling.

"Can I be enough for you, Nigel?" she asked quietly "Would you be happy with me and all my silly, mule-headed, adrenalin-junkie ways?"

"Syd…" he croaked and shook his head, baffled that she could think otherwise.. "Of course! You…well, you're you. I've never known a finer, more remarkable, more generous woman, ever. You're…you're the kind of woman a man would give up his kingdom for, or slay dragons for. " He touched her cheek, secretly amazed at the way she moved into his touch. "You know this. Everyone that has...has ever met you has known this. "

Nigel's heartfelt tribute created a flood of tears at the back of Sydney's throat, leaving her raw and gasping. How was it, this man could move her so deeply, touch her soul in such a way with only words, when all manner of other men had physically tried and failed? "Oh, Nigel. I don't belong on a pedestal. I belong beside you, with you, because that's where I'm happiest."

"I don't want to be alone anymore," he whispered in a voice shaking with emotion. "But I...I don't know how to be...with someone anymore. I don't know how to do this...right."

"There is no right or wrong, baby." Sydney moved closer so their forehead's touched. "We'll make mistakes, we might even fight and get our feelings hurt, but it's worth the risk. No one lives happily ever after. Real life is about change and compromise, joy and laughter and pain and crying. The ones that make it get through the hard times by remembering how much they love each other and never letting go of that."

Nigel closed his eyes and allowed her words to cascade over and around him and sink deep into his heart and soul. They sat there for several minutes, with just the sounds of their breathing and Anna singing Winner Takes It All.

Sydney couldn't help but wince at the song and hoped to God that their evening wasn't going to end on the same note. She bit her lip and stayed quiet, knowing that he needed to process all they had discussed, and preferred him to do it there, with her, then running to his apartment and hiding.

Finally, he spoke, so quietly Sydney almost didn't hear him. "I don't want a nightcap."

She sat up to meet his gaze and tried not to let the hurt and dismay show on her face. "Can I ask why?"

He took a deep breath, but maintained his hold on her hands and her eyes. "I have to know that it is more, Syd."

"More?"

He nodded and wet his lips, searching for the best way to explain in to her. "If you give a cat a salmon every time you see him, he comes to expect it, will look forward to it and, in most cases, will do whatever he can to please you so that he will get it. But what if you run out of salmon?"

She scowled. "Uh...huh?"

He tried another analogy. "If you...um...dine at your favorite restaurant every day you get used to the routine, but then if the restaurant closes you...um...go uh...hungry."

Sydney stared at him, baffled.

"I'm not explaining this very well." He looked away for a few moments to gather his thoughts, then turned back to her. "Um...I know you are attracted to me, and...I you. I know we are..." He cleared his throat. "Great in...in that area and I know that you could um...take me upstairs and we'd have a...a good time." He wet his lips again. "I want us to be together not...because we may do that, will do that, but because we...um...want to...to be together."

"I do want to be with you, Nigel!"

"Right. Okay...But what if I told you I didn't...um...want to have sex anymore?"

She gaped at him. "You don't?"

He shook his head. "I do! O...Of course I do, but..." He sighed heavily, released her hands and ran them through his hair. "Syd...I need to know that...that you want to be with me and not just for my...um...for the purpose of...of practicing."

Again she stared at him, then finally it dawned. "Nigel! I do feel more..."

"And the best way to be sure of that is to stop giving me salmon every time you see me."

"What?" She paused. "Oh...oh...ah! Cat. Got it." She scowled again. "So...you don't want to be together?"

"I do!" he assured quickly. "But I want to be together without...um...sex."

"Ever?" she squeaked.

"No! Just...just awhile. I know I'm asking a lot and you don't have to listen to me at all, but I just...I would feel more...um...comfortable if we could just enjoy the...the dating side without...um...the night caps."

Sydney considered it. "Ok-kay. Can I ask why?"

"Sex has been a major part of every dating relationship I've ever had, Syd. I want more with you. I want that too, of course, but I want us to want to be together without the promise of a...a sleep over." He groaned and dropped his head into his hands. "I know I'm making no sense."

Sydney allowed a small smile to form and she ran her hand through his hair. "Nigel?" Another moan. "Nigel." He looked up, miserably. "That is the nicest offer I've ever had."

His eyes widened. "R...really?"

"Really. I get it, I do and I feel the same. "At least she did now. "I've had the same problem. I've never dated anyone where sex wasn't the major factor in the relationship and that is probably why none of them worked." She smirked. "At least this way I know you don't want me just for my body."

"You have a great body, Syd."

"But I have lots of other great attributes too, and I think it's time I shared them. With you."

"I want that so much, Syd." He caught her hands with his. "So very, very much."

She leaned in and kissed his nose. "Your wish is hereby granted."

His responding smile was more radiant than the sun. "Oh, Syd. Thank you." he kissed both of her hands. "Thank you for understanding."

"You're welcome." She grinned. "Now, when are you taking me out again?"

"We could go to the cinema tomorrow if you like?"

"I like."

"And...perhaps we can go back to my place and I'll cook us dinner?"

"Movie, definitely, but I'll cook. You did so much today, I should reciprocate..."

"There's no need, Syd..."

"Nigel, you can't do everything..."

"It's the man that does the sweeping," he retorted before he could help himself and then flushed. "I...I'm so sorry. That was incredibly sexist of me. I...I didn't mean..."

"I know what you meant." She threw her arms around him because she knew it wasn't a means to an end for him, it was how he was. "My very own Sir. Gabriel. I kinda like that."

He flushed brighter, but this time from pleasure. He pressed his lips to hers in a sweet, unobtrusive kiss, and Sydney did not push for more. "I...I should go."

"Okay." She smiled as she rose and walked with him to the door. "See you tomorrow."

Nigel stepped into the hall, grinning then turned back to give her another kiss. "Sleep sweet, Syd."

"You too."

She waited until he got on the elevator, watched him face her and lift his hand in a shy wave as the door closed, then she slid her loft door shut and locked it. She put her head against the door for a moment, then straightened and smiled.

She collected their glasses, poured herself another generous helping, before turning off the lights and heading upstairs. In her mother's jewelry box she found her diary and settled on her bed and opened it to a blank page, as Maftet settled beside her.

**_Dear Diary,_**

**_Today I had a date with an old-school gentleman. I have never enjoyed myself more. He is warm, funny and kind. He wants to get to know me. He doesn't want to have sex! I want to get to know him too. I've never been so happy and excited. Stay tuned!_**

**_SF._**


	40. Chapter 40

DISCLAIMER: RH characters are not mine. Please enjoy and thanks for the reviews so far!

* * *

**CHAPTER 40**

"I didn't say there was anything wrong with your filing system," Sarah insisted to Karen as the two stood by a cabinet. She was all of five foot three, short cropped hair, bright blue eyes and glasses. She had been hired as the new TA for Professor Fox and Professor Bailey and she really needed this job. "I've worked in several offices before and I think there is a more efficient way of doing it."

"This is the way Sydney and Nigel like it, so this is the way it stays!" Karen was trying to get along with the young girl, but she'd basically run this office by herself for almost four years and she knew how things needed to be done.

Sarah bit her lip and held the stack of files to her chest. "I'm not trying to encroach on your territory, Karen, I just…" She paused as she noticed Nigel entering the office and breathed a sigh of relief. Karen made her very nervous. "Morning Professor Bailey."

He grinned at her as he walked over to his desk. "I don't think I shall ever get tired of hearing that," he decided as he set his laptop down. "But save it for the classroom Sarah. We've been friends too long to be so formal."

She beamed at him, then caught the glare that Karen shot her and her smile faded.

Nigel set up his lap top and missed the obvious tension between the two women. "Sydney is running late, can you have the new Moroccan display set up in her classroom and I'll cover it this morning?"

"Absolutely."

"No problem."

Nigel winced as both women moved towards the storage room, which would become his office once the room in the basement was finished.

"He was talking to me," Karen insisted.

"I'm the assistant," Sarah reminded. "It's my job to do it."

"I've always done it."

Sarah glanced at Nigel for help. "Who do you wish to prepare the display, Nigel?"

Not wanting to be caught in their argument, Nigel briefly considered setting up the display himself, but he realized that wouldn't be fair. They would be working together, so they had to learn to get along.

He understood Karen's reluctance to allow someone new to encroach on her role, he had felt the same when she first started taking on his TA duties because he was so busy in the field with Sydney. Jealousy was a horrible thing.

"Nigel?" Karen asked again when he hadn't answered. "Who do you want to do it?"

"It is the Teaching Assistant's job to see to any classroom props, Sarah, but Karen has been very helpful in the past with the displays, so she should go with you and show you how it should be set up, just this once."

Karen tried not to gloat as she said to Sarah. "I'll get the artifacts; you can grab the slide projector."

Sarah set down her files, moved to the corner where they kept the projector on a small rolling cart and pushed it close to the door, before returning to Nigel's desk. "She doesn't like me."

"Of course she does!"

"She doesn't! Everything I do she tells me not to do. I suggested changing the filing system the smallest bit and she became incensed."

"Karen has been with us for several years, Sarah. She's very efficient and Sydney and I are very grateful for her ability to get things done, however, she was hired as a receptionist, not a TA, so she is going to have to let you take over a few things."

"She seems nice, sometimes. I don't wish to intrude…"

"You are not intruding; you are doing the job we hired you for." He walked around the desk and took her hands. "Now listen, once my classes are up and running there will be more than enough work for both of you. Right now she's feeling territorial. We became quite dependant on her to do everything we needed, and even I felt rather put out when she started taking over some of my duties. I later realized she was a Godsend because I truly had no time to do the things I used to."

"I understand that, and I am not trying to get in her way, but nor can I do a good job if she is…well…frankly nitpicking everything I do."

"Karen runs this office, Sarah, there is no debate on that matter. If she is telling you not to do something, it's for a reason. She is fiercely protective of both Sydney and I but she shouldn't object to your showing some initiative, especially since it was her initiative that caused her to become so indispensable to us."

"I want to do a good job for you and Professor Fox." She flushed. I...I mean Professor Fox-Bailey.

Nigel blinked for a moment. "Sydney uses her maiden name for work, and so should you." Even though their marriage was a sham, it was really something to consider having Sydney as his real wife. Would Sydney welcome a real marriage? She said he was The One, but wanting a relationship didn't necessarily mean she wanted to be married to him, for real.

"Nigel?"

He pulled back from his thoughts. "Sorry. Look, I've shown you most of how Sydney likes things done regarding her classes, and that is what you have to concentrate on. The office you will leave to Karen, it is completely her domain, but don't let her bully you. You were hired because you are the right person for this job and because we believe in you. Don't be afraid to speak your mind."

She smiled. "Thank you. I really appreciate this opportunity."

"We appreciate you accepting it." He glanced up as Karen reappeared with several artifacts on a smaller cart. "Now, Karen will show you how to set up the display and after that, you should have no difficulty performing the task yourself."

Sarah nodded and moved to the projector. "After you, Karen."

Karen nodded and glanced at Nigel. "Do you want me to forward the phones first?"

"No, no, I can handle them." He caught her arm as she passed him and leaned in to whisper. "Be a nice, now. No fighting or there'll be no treats later."

She grinned. "Treats? What kind of treats?"

"You'll have to behave yourself to find out."

She shot him a flirty look then rolled her cart towards the door.

The phone rang and Nigel dropped into his desk chair to answer it. "Ancient Studies?"

"Nigel? It's Cate."

"Cate! Hello. Have you heard anything about Tia's case?"

"Yes, we actually have apprehended several of the men, but we can't find the Captain. I need to take Tia into protective custody and we need to interview her again. I'm on my way there now."

"Oh, okay. I have a class in about ten minutes. Tia is working at the free clinic in town. I can call her and ask her to head over?"

"No, I'll be there under an hour, we can go over together. I may need you to convince her to come with me."

"Is she in danger, Cate?"

I think she's safe for the moment, and we want to keep her that way. I'll explain the rest when I get there."

"Okay, see you soon." He hung up and lifted his gaze to find a bedraggled shivering, dripping wet and barefoot Sydney Fox in the doorway. "Sydney!" He rushed to her. "What happened?"

"My j...jeep died on the h...highway and m...my cell is d...dead."

"Oh no!" He put his arm around her shoulders and guided her into her office. "You walked from the highway?"

She nodded and dropped her high heels on the floor as Nigel retrieved a blanket from her office cupboard. "T...three miles. Then a...lady p...picked me up."

Nigel wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and was only mildly surprised when she slid her arms around him. "Good God! You're freezing!" He hugged her, hard and ran his hands up and down her back. "You poor darling."

Sydney snuggled closer to him. "You're so w...warm."

"Nigel, I..." Sarah gaped at them. "Professor Fox! W...what happened?"

"She had an incident with her car," Nigel said as he reluctantly stepped away from Sydney. "Run down to the cafeteria and get a large coffee and a sandwich."

"Right away!" she assured and hurried out as Karen entered.

"Holy crap! What happened to you, Syd?"

"Karen, could you find a large bowl and put some hot water in it, please?"

"Absolutely!"

"You're so...demanding." Sydney murmured.

"You've no idea." He scowled and started to unfasten her blouse. "Let's get you out of these wet clothes."

"N...now you're talkin'!"

"Behave yourself." He slid the blouse off her shoulders then unzipped her skirt and slid it down. Sydney braced her hands on his shoulders as she stepped out of it. He rose again and wrapped the blanket tighter around her. "Sit."

"Yes, sir."

He knelt before her and examined her feet, which were cold, dirty and raw from walking barefoot. "Oh, Syd." He gently massaged the feeling back in her feet and legs as Karen appeared with a large basin of steaming water.

"Put your feet in here, Syd," she ordered as she set the basin by Sydney's chair. "I'll run to the gym and get some towels."

Sydney smiled at her. "T...thanks, Karen."

Nigel placed Sydney's feet in the warm water and gently washed away the dirt. " Those lovely pink toes must be in here somewhere."

Sydney sighed at Nigel's gentle touch, which was almost worth the hike in her heels, at least until one of them broke and she had to continue in her bare feet. She didn't know too many men that would subjugate themselves to washing the feet of a woman, unless they were getting paid for it.

"You really are one of a kind, Mr. Bailey."

"As are you, Ms. Fox." He straightened, dried his hands on a corner of the blanket she had wrapped around her, then snatched her travel bag from the corner, where she kept it for emergencies. "Let's get you in some warm clothes." He pulled out a pair of stretch pants, a halter top and a see-through net top. "Well, this won't do at all." He muttered and set the bag aside to pulled off his crewneck, revealing a plain white T-shirt beneath it. "We'll have to improvise and I'll have Karen run to your flat and get you a better change."

Sydney eagerly slid into his long sleeve sweater and immediately felt warmer. She took her feet out of the water long enough for him to help her into her stretch pants, then he rolled the cuffs and put her feet back in the basin.

Sarah appeared with a steaming cup of coffee in a paper cup and a wrapped sandwich. "Here you are, Professor." She didn't comment at Sydney wearing Nigel's sweater, after all, they were married, and instead she watched Nigel retrieve his own emergency bag and pull a button up shirt out of it.

Sydney accepted the coffee gratefully. "Thanks, Sarah."

"What happened?"

"My jeep died on the highway and I couldn't use my cell. No one would stop so I had to walk." She winced and glared at her ruined shoes. "They only made it through the first mile."

"Hell of a day for a walk," Nigel teased as he glanced outside at the steady rain beating against the windows and fastened his shirt. "I'll take your class, you stay here and get warm."

Sydney nodded and sipped her coffee as Karen reappeared with a handful of towels, one of which Nigel took and started to dry Sydney's hair with. She had to smile at all the loving support she had around her.

"Do you want me to call in the nurse, Syd?" Karen asked worried, startled when she watched Nigel pull a brush from Sydney's purse and a hair tie.

Sydney shook her head and tried not to moan in pleasure as Nigel pulled the brush through her damp hair. "No, I just need to warm up." She smirked into her coffee as she felt Nigel's agile fingers deftly braid her hair and fasten it with the tie.

"How did you learn to do that, Nigel?" Karen asked, impressed. Not many men knew how to braid.

"I had a lady friend who sometimes had trouble with her hands, she had very long hair and liked to wear it up."

Sydney tilted her head backwards and smiled up at him. "Mrs. Geneva?"

"The very same." He grinned and bent to kiss her nose, unaware of the looks the other two women gave him; Karen's of shock and Sarah's of affection. "Eat your sandwich."

Sydney unwrapped her sandwich and bit into it obediently.

Karen shook off her unease. "Um...Syd, where is your car? I'll call your service and have it towed."

"About two miles west of exit 35 on Highway 10."

Karen nodded. "I'll take care of it," she said and headed out.

"I have to get to class," Nigel stated. "I'll be back shortly. Keep your feet in that water and finish your coffee. I won't have you catching your death."

"I will." Sydney promised and then, because she couldn't not say it after everything he had done, added. "Love you."

He paused at the door of her office and flushed. "Likewise," he replied and headed out.

That would do, Sydney decided and smiled at Sarah. "So, how are you liking the job s far, Sarah?"

The young woman grinned. "Well, it's never boring!"

* * *

Nigel was handing out assignments the last ten minutes of class when he watched Cate Hemphill walk through the doors at the back and perch on one of the higher seats. She noticed the number of females in the class that were staring at the Englishman in adoration and had to smile. Yeah, Nigel had that affect.

He finished off, answered a few questions, then released the class and packed up his notes as Cate walked down to him.

"Not too shabby," she teased with a smile. "You'll make a good teacher, Nigel."

He smirked. "Here's hoping." He pulled open the classroom door and held it for her. "Did you want to head over to the clinic then?"

"Yes. The sooner the better."

"Right. Let me just get Syd and..."

"I've got a car here." Cate touched Nigel's arm. "I'd rather just go, if that's okay?"

Nigel recalled that the two women had fought the last time Cate was there and he nodded and pulled out his cell phone as they headed downstairs. "Let me tell her I'm going at least?"

Cate nodded. "I'm in the west parking lot."

Nigel waved and turned left, towards the Ancient Studies office as Cate headed outside. He found Karen just ending a call. "How is she?"

"Better. I ran and got her some clothes, she's just changing."

Nigel nodded and glanced at Sarah. "Can you remove the display from the classroom, please? Sydney won't need it for her afternoon class."

"Sure thing." Sarah left the office as Nigel set his briefcase on his desk and knocked once on Sydney's door.

"Entrez vous!" she called and smiled as Nigel stepped in, just as she was pulling a pale blue blouse over her head to go with the slim black skirt she now wore. "Hey! How was class?"

"Good." He walked over and glanced at her feet. "How are the feet?"

"Better." She smirked and indicated the flats that Karen had brought from her apartment. "I'll be in those for the day."

"Glad to see you're being sensible." He paused. "I have to go out for a bit."

"Where?"

"Over to the free clinic in town. Cate is here and she needs to take Tia into protective custody. I don't know all the details yet, but I'll fill you in when I return."

Sydney immediately pulled her shoes on and grabbed the spring jacket that Karen had also brought in. "I'll go with you..." No way was she leaving him alone with Cate!

"You have another class in fifteen minutes, Syd."

"But..."

He caught her chin and placed a sweet kiss on her lips. "I'll be back soon. Okay?"

His eyes pleaded with her to trust him and she would. "Okay. I'll see you soon then."

He smiled. "You will."

"Bring me a Starbucks?"

"Absolutely." He kissed her again, quickly then turned and headed out. He found Cate waiting with a dark Impala with tinted windows.

"Everything okay?" she asked as he slid into the passenger seat.

"Yes. So what exactly has happened with those men?"

"Well, it took some time, the local authorities were protecting them, but we managed to get enough evidence on their operation to move in."

"Was anyone hurt?"

"One of our agents was killed, two of theirs were."

He reached across and placed his hand on her leg. "I'm sorry, Cate?"

"It's part of the job." she shrugged as she pulled away from the university. "Anyway, we've got enough on the pirates and several of the locals to build a good case against them. This is big, Nigel. These guys were deep in the white slavery market, had connections all over."

"What about the captain?" Nigel asked, remembering that Tia had been most afraid of him.

"Eduardo Mikhail Sanjay." Cate grimaced. "He's been on our most wanted list for five years and has ties to the Russian mafia. Most of his men aren't talking as long as he is at large, everyone is terrified of this guy."

"He was pretty terrifying," Nigel murmured and felt Cate's hand on his leg.

"I wish I could have caught them sooner, Nigel. I am sorry that you and Sydney had to go through that."

"It wasn't your fault. Our line of business can be just as dangerous as yours." He hesitated half a beat before putting his hand over hers on his leg. "It's what you're doing now that matters."

She smiled and pulled her hand back to the wheel. "I'm happy to help." She changed lanes. "Anyway, someone let it slip that Tia was the one that tipped us off, so we're pretty sure he is going to try and track her down."

"So she is in danger?"

"Yes, although we know that he isn't in this country yet, so we have some time if we move quickly."

"And you think taking her into protective custody will keep her safe?"

"It's our best option. We need her take her in, for her own protection and to nail these guys to the wall."

"Can you trust your people, Cate? If the pirates had the local authorities on their side, what is to stop them from bribing someone in your organization?'

"We're playing this one very close to the vest. This operation turned out to be huge! You wouldn't believe pressure we're getting from upstairs. Three of the pirates have been on our most wanted list for years and the Sanjay...well, let's just say we want him bad."

"And Interpol had no idea where these men were?"

"No, and if not for you and Syd and Tia we still wouldn't."

"I'll just be happy once they are put away." He paused. "Take a left here and then the next right. Tia may not want to go with you."

"She's going to have to go, Nigel. You need to convince her it is for the best."

He sighed. "When will she be able to come back?"

"I can't say. I have no idea how long it will take to find Sanjay. He's a master at vanishing and has contacts everywhere."

"Great," Nigel muttered as they pulled into a small strip mall. "The clinic is just up here."

Cate followed him into the building and showed her identification to the receptionist before Nigel could get a word in. "We need to see Tia Rameriez. Now."

"She's with a patient..."

"She'll have to be interrupted..."

Nigel caught Cate's arm. "Can you just tell her that Nigel and Cate need to see her before her patient?" he requested of the receptionist. "We'll be at the coffee shop next store and it's very important."

The woman nodded, relieved. "I certainly will."

Nigel offered her a smile and then guided Cate back outside. "Don't be such a bully."

Cate smirked. "I get the job done," she stated as he held the door to Starbucks open for her. She didn't mind a few minutes delay, they had time and she could take advantage of the lull to talk to Nigel some more. "You're just too nice."

"I'm not always nice," he retorted as they each ordered a coffee and settled at a table close to the door.

"Oh please. Of course you are."

"No, I'm not!" He waved his hand at her. "Anyway. When she comes in, please let me break the news to her."

"See? Nice."

He smirked and sipped his coffee. "Just remember to keep us in the loop, okay?"

"The way you kept me in the loop about you and Sydney?"

He blinked, not expecting their conversation to take that turn. "I don't know what you mean."

"You married her, Nigel. When were you going to tell me?"

He sipped his coffee again. "It was need to know," he tossed and immediately regretted. "Sorry. That was uncalled for." He ran his hand over his face. "I didn't think of it. It all was rather, sudden."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you marry her so suddenly?"

He shrugged, for he was unwilling to tell her the real reason.

She leaned forward. "Are you in trouble, Nigel? Is she?"

"No."

"Then why marriage?"

"Why not marriage?" he shot, offended. "Is it so impossible to believe that a woman might want to marry me, Cate?"

"Not Sydney."

"Why not Sydney?" he demanded, although he had been asking himself that same exact question for the last few months. It had only been two weeks since their heart to heart, and he did feel better about things since they talked, but he didn't need Cate casting more doubts on him. "She's a woman. I'm a man. It happens."

"She's out of your league, Nigel."

"I love her, Cate."

Cate hadn't expected such a confession and was startled at the stab of pain in introduced to her heart. "You said you loved me, too."

"I did, at one time, but it wasn't...the same."

"How is it different?"

"This is real. It feels right. What we had was a fantasy of my own making and never felt...right."

"It will never work. She'd never settle for you, Nigel."

"Why? because you couldn't? Sydney is not you, Cate." And for the first time he finally believed that. Sydney would never hurt him as Cate had. Would never use and betray him that way.

Cate winced, but wasn't ready to throw in the towel quite yet. "Nigel, give me another chance. I know I didn't treat you...properly, but it was only because you scared me."

"Me?" His eyes widened. "How?"

"You were so eager and so...so nice." Cate ran her hand through her hair and then picked at her coffee cup. "You were different than the other men I'd dated and...and being an agent I can't just have a normal relationship."

"Or any at all, it seems."

"Nigel!"

"Cate! You whisked into town on some mission or another, wanted a quick shag and then you were off again to parts unknown."

"It's my job!"

"Your bloody job doesn't prevent you from sending an E-mail or returning a phone call!" he snapped, surprised that he was still bitter over their past. "I talk to Derek Lloyd at least once a month and he's in bloody CIA!"

"It isn't the same!"

"No! Because I wasn't fucking in love with him!" Nigel ran his hand through his hair and immediately lowered his voice as other patrons glanced their way.

Cate was appalled to hear Nigel curse. She honestly thought he was incapable of serious swearing, but she jumped on his last claim. "How can you be in love with Sydney if you are in love with me?"

"It's different and I...I no longer feel that way about you."

"So you just turn it on and off like a faucet? How convenient."

"No! Cate...It's not like that!"

She leaned over the table and put her hand over his. "Nigel. We were good together weren't we?"

"No." And they hadn't been. It had been wrong from the start, he'd just refused to see it.

"How can you say that?"

"Cate...How can you say that we are? We had chemistry, that's all."

"How do you know you're feelings won't change for Sydney after a little while, since you're so fickle?"

He stared at her. "Fickle? Fickle!" he almost screamed at her and had to physically restrain himself. He'd never had any woman move him to violence so easily. He lowered his voice again because they were in public then hissed. "For three bloody years I waited for you to return my feelings, to give me some sign that you wanted me for more than a quick shag and do you know what those three years got me, Cate? A broken heart, low self esteem and a very empty social calendar, and that was all."

"I told you, with my job I just can't..."

"Screw your bloody job and screw you!" he snapped, furious. "Do you know what I think? I think you only want me now because someone else has me and your pride has been hurt. Well, take it from someone who has great experience in such matters...Let. It. Go."

Cate shook her head, this wasn't going the way it was supposed to be. She hadn't expected him to fight back, to fight at all. Sydney, yes, but not Nigel. Desperate, she used the only weapon she had left, she grabbed him by the shirt and hauled him across the table, before he could resist to capture his lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

Nigel pushed her away and rose. "That doesn't work anymore," he growled wiping his mouth as Tia entered. He smiled at her and waved as he reluctantly settled back in his seat and turned eyes glittering with rage on Cate. "You have a job to do, Agent. I suggest you get to it."

Cate felt as if she had been punched in the face, but her training prevented her from showing such weakness. She managed a smile for Tia. "Hi, there. have a seat, we need to talk."

Tia looked at them both, then hesitantly sat.


	41. Chapter 41

DISCLAIMER: RH characters do not belong to me. Almost there folks…the end is near! Will Nigel finally say 'I Love You? Will Syd ever get him in the sack again? Will they live happily ever after? LOL..Stay tuned and find outThanks for all the reviews! Much appreciated!

* * *

**CHAPTER 41**

Sydney stood staring out her office window at the dismal grey mist coating the university grounds, her arms crossed over her chest and her feet bare, as they still ached.

"Where the hell are you?" she muttered as she glanced at her watch for the tenth time in an hour.

She'd taken care of the rest of her classes for the day, her last one had been at two, but Nigel still had not returned from this morning. He'd called Karen to say he had some errands to run before he got back, but that was almost three hours ago.

She tried not to let the green eyed monster worm its way into her heart, tried not to worry that he might be spending all this time with Cate or what they might be doing together. She trusted Nigel, it was Cate she had issues with.

Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. She grabbed her cell phone, now fully charged, dropped in her chair and prepared a text.

**_Hey! Where's my coffee? :-(_ **It was only a few seconds before she got a reply and she immediately felt better.

**_I gave it to a homeless chap, he looked thirsty._**

**_Do u plan on wrkg at all 2day?_**

**_I am wrkng! I am fetching ur bloody coffee! ;-p._**

Sydney laughed and texted back quickly.

_**Better not be bloody!**_

_**No- trpl Grde Non-Fat Caramel Mach**_

She grinned. Damn he knew her tastes so well. She wasn't usually much of a texter, but Nigel made it too fun to resist.

**_Mmmmm…Caramel…we could have fun with that!_**

**_:-( Too sticky!_**

**_Just have to suck harder._**

**_(*^_^*)_**

**_Why RU playing hard 2 get?_**

**_Oh-I'm definitely hard… :-P_**

Sydney flushed with delight and propped her feet up on her desk.

**_Happy to do something about that 2!_**

**_=-}===_**

Sydney laughed out loud at his drooling face.

**_Are you coming back to the office?_**

**_Yes_**

**_When?_**

**_Later_**

**_When later?_**

**_When I get there_**

**_When will that be?_**

**_In about…20 seconds…19…18…_**

"Welcome back, Nigel!" Karen greeted cheerfully. "Get all your errands done?"

"Mostly," Sydney heard Nigel reply. "Any messages?"

"No, been a slow day."

"Good, thanks, Karen."

Sydney grinned and continued texting as Nigel entered her office, holding a large Starbucks cup. "Oh, you're back." She glanced back at her cell as her thumbs flew over the tiny keyboard. "Just a sec, I'm talking to my boyfriend."

Nigel grinned, set her coffee on her desk and perched on the corner facing her. When his cell phone dinged he ignored it and Sydney glanced at him.

"You might want to get that."

"It's just my nagging girlfriend, she is horribly impatient."

Sydney grinned and started texting again. "So, how did it go?"

"Tia wasn't thrilled at the idea of going with Cate. She took quite a bit of convincing, and then we had to go back to where she was staying and get her things." He ran his hands through his hair.

Sydney decided not to push further about Cate, she could see he was stressed, despite his attempt to tease her. "So, where else did you go?"

"Just ran a few errands while I was on that side of town. Nothing earth shattering." He smirked as his cell dinged again, signaling another message. "Are you all done for the day, then?"

She nodded, set her feet on the floor and her cell in her purse. "I am."

"What about your car?"

"In the garage. I have a rental." She handed the keys to him. She liked letting him drive lately; it gave her more time to watch him. "Feel like fish and chips at the pub?"

His face brightened considerably. "Absolutely." His eyes widened a little as he watched her pull his sweater on over her blouse. "Still cold?"

"No," she replied sweetly as she slid her feet into the flats and collected her purse, coffee, briefcase and jacket.

Ah. Well then." He flushed and tossed the keys in the air to catch them again. "Can I assume your day has improved?"

"Greatly. This morning I was thinking I should have just played hooky and stayed in bed for the day."

He closed his eyes briefly as a vision of her in bed, long, lithe and naked immediately entered his mind. He quickly cleared his throat. "That bad?"

She followed him out to the main office. "Close her up, Karen. The answering service can deal with anything else."

"Woo Hoo!" Karen grinned and forwarded the phones. "Night you guys!"

Sydney led Nigel into the main parking lot where her rental car was parked and smiled as he held open the door for her, he never used to, as she slid into the passenger side.

Nigel slid in behind the wheel and pulled out his phone, too curious to wait any longer to see the two texts she had sent him.

**_I have to go, the coffee boy is here, and man is he hot!_**

**_I'm not a nag! :-0_**

Nigel grinned and quickly texted a reply, slid the phone back in his pocket and pulled his seatbelt over his shoulder as he switched on the engine. "Do you want to talk about your bad day?"

Before answering, Sydney pulled out her phone and eagerly read his message.

**_Quit your nonsense and give the hot coffee boy a kiss! ;*_**

She laughed and leaned over to give him a quick kiss, before settling back in her seat. "Are you sure you want to hear about it?"

"If you want to tell it."

Let's wait until we get to the pub."

"As you wish." They drove in silence the short distance to the local pub, as Sydney quickly drank her coffee. They found a secluded booth, ordered two fish dinners and two beers. "All right, let's have it, then."

"Well, I didn't sleep worth a damn last night," Sydney admitted. "I kept tossing and turning and Maftet had something on her mind as well and was crying all hours for God knows what reason."

"That's too bad."

She nodded. "Then, when I finally did get up, I went to have a shower and there was no hot water, so I had to have a cold one." She shivered, she hated the cold. "I stepped out of the stupid shower and onto the cat, who I forgot to feed because I was preoccupied at having no sleep."

Nigel winced. "Did either of you get hurt?"

"I fell and hit my funny bone on the tub, Maftet screamed and ran out the door, which I had left open, again not paying attention, and she wouldn't come to me before I left, even when I filled her bowl."

"She'll have forgiven you by the time you go home."

"Maybe." Sydney shrugged. "So, anyway as I was getting dressed, I was in a temper and a hurry and ripped my favorite blouse…"

"Which one?"

"The black see-through one."

His face fell in sympathy. "Oh, Syd. I'm sorry." She'd had that blouse forever, it was one of his favorites as well and she often wore it on a hunt.

"It was old, but it was my favorite. I don't know why I even grabbed it. Anyway, then I had to select another outfit, got dressed and was having a bad hair day…" She indicated the tight braid he'd done for her. "Waste of effort for that. Went downstairs to have some breakfast and I realized I forgot to pick up groceries, again."

She paused as the waitress appeared with their drinks. "Thank you." The waitress smiled at her and wandered off. "From there, it just got worse. I managed to get downstairs and was crossing to my jeep when I stepped in a grate and face planted on the damn street!"

"God, Syd! Were you hurt?"  
"Just my pride. Anyway, the street was wet because of the rain and I was immediately filthy, so I had to run back upstairs to change."

Nigel bit his lip and put his attention into blowing some of the header off his beer. If he laughed she'd knock him senseless, but honestly…How could one person have so much bad luck? "Um…" He cleared his throat. "Um…did you manage to avoid the cat this time?"

"Barely!" She had to suppress her grin, because she could hear the laughter in his voice, despite his attempt to hide it. "Don't you dare laugh, Nigel Bailey!"

"I'm not!" he denied, lifting his eyes to hers and that was his undoing. He lowered his face again as a grin broke out. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Syd." His shoulder's shook with the effort not to laugh. "It…It's just…such a rotten run of…of bad luck."

She glared at him, but her eyes danced with amusement. "Well, anyway. I ran back, changed my clothes, got in the jeep, called you to say I'd be late, then the damn jeep died on the highway!"

He couldn't hold it in any longer and he laughed. "I'm sorry!" He tried to muffle his laughter behind his napkin, but it was useless and soon Sydney joined him until they were both breathless and their ribs were aching. "You…You don't need a hooky day, you need a hooky month!"

"Maybe." She grinned as the waitress set a bowl of tortilla chips and some salsa on the table. "But my day got infinitely better when a handsome man massaged my feet and lent me his sweater so I could be warm."

He smiled at her. "It was my pleasure, Syd."

"So…" She dipped a chip halfway down in the salsa and lifted it to her lips. "What did you do today, besides the thing with Tia?"

"I stopped off at a book store to pick up an order I'd put in awhile back and just hadn't the time to get it, then I dropped in on Pierre at the museum and he insisted I stay for lunch, then just a few other quick errands." He grinned. "Got your coffee."

Their food arrived and they ate quietly for a few minutes, both comfortable enough with each other to allow the lull until Sydney's cell phone rang.

"Hello? Oh Hi! How was your…What? Oh…well, no I hadn't…Oh. Oh, okay. I see. Thanks for calling. Okay, bye."

Nigel tilted his head, concerned. "Bad news?"

"Not really…bad. Just disappointing."

"What is it?"

"Someone bought Serena's loft. She just wanted to let me know she accepted an offer."

"I'm sorry, Syd. It's upset you?"

"Of course, I'm upset! I wanted to buy it!"

"Well…why didn't you?"

"You know why!"

"Sydney…" He shook his head they had been over it. "Did your neighbor say who bought it?"

She shrugged. "Some old guy and his trophy wife."

"I'm truly sorry, Syd."

She shrugged and stabbed a fry. "It doesn't matter."

"It doesn't?"

She shook her head and forced herself to offer him a small smile. "I can't have everything I want," she admitted. "But I have you now, and that's more than enough."

Nigel stared at her, thoughtfully. "Thank you, Syd." He reached across the table for her hand. "Let's go see Stanley again, maybe on Saturday?"

Sydney brightened. "For another ride?"

He nodded. "We can have another picnic, if the weather is nice and we can just stay and enjoy the day. Maybe hike the trails or something, so we aren't as rushed."

"Back at our spot on the mountain?"

He beamed at her. "If that's what you want."

"What do you want, Nigel?"

"To be with you, Syd. Anywhere, everywhere, as long as I'm with you, I'm happy."

Sydney shifted in her seat in giddy response. "Okay. Let's do that then."

They fell into another comfortable silence until they finished eating, then Nigel ordered a tea while Sydney requested a strawberry cheesecake for desert.

"You know that's going straight to your thighs, right?" he teased once the cake lathered with fresh strawberries and sauce was delivered.

"Oh shut up!" Sydney grinned as she pierced a strawberry, sucked on it while still on the fork, for several long seconds, before finally pulling it into her mouth. "I deserve it after the day I've had!"

"Syd!" Nigel was immediately aroused, wishing he was a strawberry, and shifted lightly in his seat.

She glanced at him, startled. "What?"

"Please don't do that?"

"Do what?"

"Eat…eat your…um…desert that way." He flushed. "It's very…um… distracting."

She grinned. "Sorry." She pierced another one and held it out to him. "Want to share?"

He swallowed hard and shifted again. "You're Pandora incarnate, you know that?"

She smiled and leaned over the table. "Part of being in a relationship is sharing, Nigel." She put part of the strawberry between her teeth and leaned closer deliberately.

"You're killing me," he muttered, even as his mouth moved forward to cover the other half of the strawberry. He bit off half and chewed perhaps twice before he was forced to swallow because of Sydney's tongue in his mouth. God it was erotically sumptuous!

He pulled back and cleared his throat, glancing around to check if any of the diners had seen their display.

Sydney's bare foot settled against his groin beneath the table as she cut off a slice of her cake. "Don't you want to share anymore?"

"Will you behave?" He gently pried her foot away, but not before awarding her a grin. "Vixen."

"I can't help it. I want you."

"I want you too, just not on top of your bloody cheesecake."

Sydney giggled because he finally admitted his need for her, without stammering. She continued to eat at a normal pace so as not to upset him again, but couldn't help being curious about what had happened between him and Cate. That green eyed monster was crawling its way up into her heart again.

"Go ahead and ask," Nigel said as he sat back and sipped his tea.

"Ask what?"

He just looked at her over the rim of his cup.

Sydney actually flushed. Damn he knew her so well. "It's not any of my business," she muttered.

"Of course it is."

She peered up at him through shuttered lashes. "Do you…Did anything…Do you want to tell me what happened with…Cate?"

"No, but I will if you want to know."

"I do trust you, Nigel."

"But you're chomping at the bit to know what she said to me."

Sydney sighed. "Yes."

He shrugged. "We talked about Tia's case. She said that they had most of the men responsible for our kidnapping in custody, except for the captain and they were looking for him." He reached across, plucked her fork from her fingers to cut off a small piece of cake, placed the morsel in his mouth and handed the fork back. "She was worried for Tia's safety and wanted to warn us as well to be on the look out. Although she is confident they'll catch him soon."

"Did you…talk about anything other than Tia's case?"

"Yes."

Sydney groaned and sliced off a huge chunk of the cake, along with several of the mouthwatering strawberries and shoved them in her mouth; the essence of biting her tongue.

Nigel leaned forward. "She asked why I married you."

Sydney's eyes flickered to his, as her heart leapt into her throat. "What did you tell her?"

"I asked her why shouldn't I marry you?"

"Oh." Sydney swallowed her disappointment. "You didn't tell her about your Visa?"

"No. Enough people know about that already."

Sydney nodded and ate another piece of cake. "She wants you back, Nigel."

"Yes, she mentioned that too."

Sydney pressed her lips together and tried to ignore the sudden twisting inside her gut. "Do you want to…Do you want her back?"

"Sydney," he scolded gently. "Why would you think that?"

She shrugged, hating the doubt that was crawling up her spine. "You loved her for a long time."

"Loved…past tense. I don't love her anymore."

"You don't?"

"No."

Sydney waited to see if he would say those three little words she was so desperate to hear, but when he remained silent, she pushed past her selfishness and continued the conversation. "How did she take that?"

He smirked. "Not well."

Sydney snorted. "I'll bet." She paused. "Did she….kiss you?"

"Yes."

Sydney's hands fell beneath the table where she curled them into fists. "Did you kiss her back?"

"No." He rose suddenly and moved to her side of the booth, waiting until she slid further in to make room for him. "There's only one woman I want to kiss, Syd."

She held her breath. God he was so handsome, and smelled so damn good. "Me?" she asked hopefully and melted when he smiled at her.

"Bingo." He caught her chin and captured her mouth with a sensuality that made Sydney's knees weak and her center wet. When they parted she could only stare at him. "No one can compare to you, Syd. Please, don't ever forget that."

She swallowed. "I…I'll try not to."

"I'll remind you whenever you do."

"Can you remind me again? You know my brain just isn't what it mmmmhhh…." Her eyes fluttered closed, her arms slid around his neck and pulled him closer as their lips pressed and opened, their tongues danced and their hearts soared.

When he released her this time they were both breathing heavily. "I…I should take you home."

"You absolutely should."

"Sydney," he flushed, knowing what she was thinking. "I…I didn't mean for…that."

"It doesn't have to be that, it could be…second base at least?"

Nigel considered it.

She grinned and her fingers tickled the back of his hair, which had started to grow long again. "Every couple should at least get to snog, Nigel."

He smiled slowly then picked up her fork, sliced off a very generous portion of cake and practically shoved it in her mouth before she could close it. "Right, we're done here," he decided as she tried to chew through her laughter. He lifted his hand. "Check! Here please. _Now_!"


	42. Chapter 42

DISCLAIMER: Relic Hunter Characters are not mine, I am only borrowing them,

Thanks for all the reviews, I know I have overdone on the sweetness, but it's time for a little (tiny dribble) of Angst. Hope you enjoy and by all means if you do, do Review!

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**CHAPTER 42**

"Nigel?"

Nigel glanced up from where he was working on his new class schedule. "Yes, Karen?"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Always," he assured, saving his work, closing the laptop and turning to face her as she perched on the corner of his desk.

"Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

He smirked. "Depends on how personal."

"Why are you and Sydney still married?"

"Syd thought it would be best to wait until the end of the year to separate, just in case the government is still looking." He watched Karen's shoulder's relax slightly and scowled. "Is there a problem, Karen?"

"No, I…I was just wondering…but I guess you guys are still playing the part, then. Right?"

"Playing the…" Oh. Crap. He lowered his eyes searching for a way to explain his and Sydney's new relationship.

He knew Karen had a crush on him, but he honestly hadn't thought of how this might affect her. He'd been too caught up in his own feelings for Sydney.

"Um…well…You, see, Karen."

"There's more to it, isn't there?" Karen whispered. "I see how you guys look at each other now. You never used to look at each other that way."

"I…" Nigel didn't know what he could say to make things any better so he remained silent.

"When you told me you had to get married because of your Visa I was, well a little worried, but then I thought that's okay because you guys have been friends so long and have never had any kind of…romantic tendencies towards each other."

"It…it just happened, Karen. I don't think either of us expected it."

"So, you are together now. As a couple?"

"Yes."

"I thought you were shy." She sighed heavily. "I just thought you were shy."

"I am shy, Karen."

She looked at him. "Not so shy you wouldn't have made a move on me in all these years, when you had to know I wanted you to."

Again he was silent. What could he say, really?

"I've wasted so much time."

"Oh Karen. If it's any consolation, Sydney had a time to convince me as well. I've been a cad about it really."

"It's not your fault." She shook her head. "I did this to myself, imagined a relationship that just wasn't going to happen."

"I've been there," he offered gently, as he thought of Cate and he knew that realization didn't make the rejection hurt any less.

"You seem so happy now, so…I don't know." She shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest. "I want you to be happy, Nigel. Even if it isn't with me." She paused. "And Sydney is...well there's no other woman out there like Sydney."

"I don't think so either."

"I guess it's only right that my two favorite people in the whole world are finally...together. It's just..." She bit her lip and blinked back the tears that started to form.

Nigel caught her hands and held them to his lips, kissing each knuckle with obvious affection."Karen, there's a wonderful man out there for you," he promised. "Someone who is just right for you and who will appreciate you for the lovely, vibrant, intelligent woman you are."

She snorted. "Yeah, right."

"There is!" He rose and touched her cheek. "You just have to open your eyes to him. I learned that with Sydney. She's been here all this time and I...I couldn't, wouldn't see her as more than...well my very good friend. "

"Why?" Karen asked, curious. "I mean, she's beautiful and funny and successful. Every other guy sees her as a woman, why couldn't you, Nigel?"

He shrugged and let his hands drop to his sides. "I...I didn't think I could ever compete, Karen. You've seen the kind of men she favors." He shook his head. "I always thought she was out of my league." Another shrug. "I think most beautiful women are out of my league." He glanced at her through his fringe of bangs. "Including you."

Karen's flushed with pleasure, even as her eyes widened in shock. "That's just stupid!"

He smirked. "Yes. So Sydney has told me. Repeatedly."

Karen grinned, but it just as quickly faded as she slid off his desk and tugged her skirt down. "I guess I have to start being more professional now."

"Whatever do you mean?"

She tilted her head, suddenly self-conscious. "You know. Wearing the short skirts and...and showing so much...other stuff." His appalled look was almost comical and she felt herself start to smile.

"Now, hang on! I'm in a relationship, not bloody dead. My favorite part of coming to work is to see what you're wearing. Don't you dare change a thing or I'll...well...I'll be very put out!"

Her smile broke through and she flushed. "Really? Won't it be...like...awkward now? I mean with Syd?"

"It's always been awkward for me, and Syd isn't the one looking." He grinned at her. "Here, now, you be exactly who you are. No one should dictate how you should be or how you should dress." His ears grew pink. "Besides, I'm always curious to see how many ways you can invent for me to notice your...fantastic assets..."

"And how many ways you can pretend _not_ to notice?"

"Exactly! Let's not break with tradition, after all this time!"

Karen giggled. "So...the flirting is still okay?"

"Absolutely."

"Won't Sydney be...y'know...upset?"

"Then don't flirt with her."

"Oh Nigel!" Karen laughed finally and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you." She touched his cheek and felt a kind of relief at saying it out loud. "At least you know now."

"Karen, I…I'm very fond of you, you must know that?"

She nodded. "I do. And it helps to know that."

"I'd do anything to have spared you this, truly."

"I know that too." She kissed his cheek, her eyes filled with sadness and regret. "I'm going to take an early lunch. Clear my head."

He nodded in understanding. "Yes, of course." He caught her hand. "Karen… Don't shut yourself in and try to work through it alone. It doesn't work, trust me."

Karen nodded, knowing he was speaking from experience. "I promise." She kissed his cheek again as Sydney and Sarah entered the office. "I'll be back soon." She walked past the two other women and gathered her jacket and purse. "I'm taking an early lunch."

"Okay." Sydney watched their secretary leave then glanced at Nigel. "Is everything okay?"

"I told her, Syd."

"Oh." Sydney's expression softened and she glanced at Sarah. "I'm good for now if you want to take lunch," she said and Sarah nodded, sensing that the professors wanted to be alone.

Sydney waited until Sarah left, then closed the door and walked over to Nigel, who looked miserable. "How did she take it?"

"I didn't even think to tell her, Syd," he muttered as he dropped down in his chair. "We both should have told her and I...I just didn't think."

"Hey. We both screwed up." Sydney leaned against his desk, facing him. "Is she okay?"

"I think so. She's a smart girl, I think she'll get over it. I just hate that I've caused her..." He shook his head as he thought of the turmoil Cate had put him through. He prayed that Karen wasn't that hooked on him. "I just feel badly for her."

Sydney leaned forward and brushed his bangs out of his eyes, affectionately. "You need a haircut."

"I know."

"She knows we care about her, Nigel. She'll be okay."

"I hope so."

"Well, we'll both just have to make sure she is." Sydney was only mildly surprised when Nigel's hands reached for her waist and pulled her onto his lap. "She's our friend, so we'll make sure she gets through this."

"As her friend I should have considered her feelings before..."

"Now, just a minute!" The idea that Nigel might have postponed their romantic relationship even longer because of some misplaced chivalry to Karen or any other woman incensed her. She'd had trouble enough as it was! "I love Karen too, but if you think for one minute I was going to let her feelings for you cause me or you one ounce of guilt then you're sadly mistaken."

"But, Sydney..."

"No buts, Nigel. Do you think I should have waited and conferred with all my ex boyfriends before telling you my feelings?"

"Well, no, of course not!"

"Then you can't feel responsible for not telling Karen. You had a lot on your plate already."

"Well, yes..."

"And besides, we both knew she liked you..."

He blinked. "You...you knew?"

"Nigel," she smirked. "Everybody knew."

He groaned, now he felt even worse. "I wasn't leading her on, Syd. Honestly, I...I just..."

"You were just being you and she understood that. If you had wanted that kind of relationship with Karen you would have started one years ago." She pause as she recalled his fear and reluctance towards changing their relationship. She peered at him, concerned. "Unless...you were just afraid with her?"

"No," he returned simply. "I mean, I considered...you know..." He flushed. "There is definitely an attraction there, but I...I never...I mean Karen is a lovely girl, but...I didn't think it could go beyond the...um...physical and that was why I just...er..."

"Pretended to be obtuse?"

He lowered his head and hid against her breasts. "I am a cad."

She smirked at his youthful display of remorse and slid her hands through his hair. "No, you're not. You would have been if you had given into the attraction and slept with her, fully aware you could never give her more than that."

"I still feel like shite."

She smiled and kissed the top of his head as she splayed with his hair. "You'll get over it and so will she. We just need to keep things normal and show her that nothing has to change."

He lifted his head to meet her eyes. "She said she was going to start dressing..." He shuddered in disgust. "Professionally."

Sydney tsked at his expression. "Ohh, poor baby!" She pulled him close again and grinned. "Is she trying to depress you?"

"I know, right?"

She grinned. "I hope you explained how unnecessary that would be?"

He nodded. "She was worried you might be upset if she still...flirted."

"So tell her not to flirt with me."

He grinned. "I did."

"Good."

"Okay." He relaxed finally. "How was class?"

"Good."

They sat that way for a few minutes, neither feeling the least bit self-conscious, until Nigel suddenly said. "Do you want to go to New York this weekend? It might be the last chance before the snow comes and you promised to help me get a wardrobe for school."

"Depends. Will we have separate rooms?"

"Sydney. When a bloke asks a girl off on a mini holiday, it is implied they will be staying together."

"What if I wanted to play hard to get?"

He scoffed and squeezed her. "When have you ever?"

She pretended to sigh. "Well, I guess I can check my schedule..."

"We're both free."

"I'll need to find someone to feed Maftet..."

"I've given Sarah my key to the loft."

"We'll need to get a hotel..."

"Already reserved a room at the Hyatt."

She pulled back and grinned at him. "I'm a pretty sure thing, huh?"

He smiled and shrugged. "I didn't expect you to put up a fight, no."

She laughed and then groaned as the phone rang. She stretched across to pick it up. "Ancient Studies?" She slid off his lap. "Aaron! Hi, how are you? A Binduku Idol? Sure we...Sweden?" She glanced at Nigel who nodded, rose and walked to Karen's desk to look through her airline contacts. "We'll get the next available flight."


	43. Chapter 43

DISCLAIMER: RH Characters are not mine.

* * *

And you thought they wouldn't get to New York? ;-0

Now, this is a little racier than the last few chapters, but I fully expect (ask, request, plead/prey/appeal for) long-winded, well rounded, detailed reviews on this chapter. (Pretty, pretty, please?!) I worked very hard and rewrote it four times, so I hope it is all you expect, want, desire, dreamed it would be.

Only a couple of chapters left folks! Thanks for all the support so far! Enjoy.

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**CHAPTER 43**

Nigel woke from a dream of making love to Sydney and find two slanted green eyes staring at him. "What are you doing there?" he murmured to Maftet, even as his hand rose to stroke the cat's back. He yawned and glanced at his watch, his eyes widened and he quickly pulled the cat off his chest and sat up. It was already after five in the evening.

He groaned and ran his hands over his neck in exhaustion. He and Sydney had returned from Sweden, where they managed to procure an ancient idol and restore it to the museum there, but it had been a long, troublesome hunt and they were both exhausted when they got back to Sydney's loft that morning.

He had just meant to snooze for a little when he dropped down on Sydney's sofa, but he'd slept almost ten hours!

He groaned as he rose and winced at the kink in his back. "Syd?" He remembered she had said something about going for a shower.

He rubbed his hands over his face and started up the stairs. "Sydney?"

He found her face down on her bed, sound asleep, wearing just a towel. "Aw, Syd." He carefully sat down beside her and touched her shoulder. "Sydney?"

Sydney's eyes flickered open, drowsily. "Hmmm?"

"It's after five. We slept the day away."

She blinked at him a few times as she tried to focus and managed the effort to roll over, but she truly was exhausted. "Did we miss school?"

He smirked. "No, luv, but it's Friday."

She blinked at him.

"We were going to drive up to New York this evening," he reminded softly. "Did you want to stay home?"

Her eyes widened and she sat up. "Oh!" She'd been looking forward all week to their excursion, especially as he promised they would be sharing a room which she hoped also included sharing a bed. "No. No, I still want to go." She slid off the bed. "Let me...um...get a shower."

"You already had a shower."

She looked down at the towel she wore. "Yes, right. Um...pack a bag. I should pack a bag..."

He rose and caught her as she stumbled towards the closet. "You're in no shape, Syd. We can stay home, it's perfectly okay..."

"No! I want to go!" She caught his shirt. "Please? I've looked forward this all week!"

"Well, I guess you can sleep in the car while I drive."

"I can drive..."

"You're barely conscious, Syd. I am driving." He pulled her small travel tote out from under her bed. "Here now, let's get you some essentials, then we can stop at my place for my things."

Sydney nodded and entered her closet to pick out what she would need. In no time at all she had dried her hair, added a little makeup, fed Maftet and then they were off to Nigel's place. He took a quick shower, changed into clean clothes, and as he already had a bag packed they were on the road to New York in no time.

"We deserve this after this last hunt," Sydney decided, wide awake now because in just a few hours, she and Nigel would be making love, after weeks and weeks of celibacy and just a bit of snogging.

"Yes. I'm feeling a little like Detective Murtock."

Sydney grinned, recognizing the character. "You're getting too old for this shit?"

"Exactly."

She laughed, and had to admit, she was starting to feel it lately herself. "What was it Indy said, it's not the age but the mileage?"

Nigel snorted as he pulled into a gas station. "I'm definitely ready for an oil change," he agreed as he switched off the engine and stepped out.

Sydney grabbed her purse and stepped out as well. "There's a Subway across the street, I'll go grab us some nibbles." She caught his chin as Nigel slid his debit card through the pump and kissed him soundly. "Miss me?"

He stared at her and licked his lips. "Sorry…what was I doing?"

She laughed and keyed in his four digit ATM code. "Getting petrol," she teased in her best British accent.

"Yes, right." He retrieved his card and pulled the pump from the handle. "I'll get us drinks here, they are less expensive."

She nodded, feeling giddy and headed across the way as Nigel filled their gas tank. She stepped into the sandwich shop and ordered a foot long Buffalo Chicken sub and two white chocolate macadamia cookies.

She darted back across the street just as Nigel was sliding in behind the wheel, a plastic bag in his hand. She hurried into the passenger side. "What did you get?"

"Two Pepsi's and a bag of crisps," he replied, pulling their drinks out and setting them in the car's cup holder and then set the rest behind Sydney's seat. "You?"

"Buffalo chicken and cookies."

"Brilliant, just what I wanted." He pulled away from the gas station and a minute later they were on the highway headed to New York. Something sudden dawned on him. "Hang on! How the devil did you know my debit code?"

"Oh please!" She grinned as she unwrapped her sub. "The year Sir Gabriel defeated the demon." She rolled her eyes and bit into her sub. "It's a given."

He scowled at her. "I don't know if I like being so predictable," he grumbled and turned his eyes to the road.

"You're not, but I know you too well." She unwrapped his half of the sub and held it up for him to take a bite, as his hands were occupied with driving. "By the way, did I tell you that next year the Renaissance Faire is planning a homage to him?"

"To who?" Nigel asked as Sydney uncapped his Pepsi and he used his free hand to accept the bottle and take a drink. "Sir Gabriel?"

"Yep. They are supposedly going to recreate the battle of the demon."

Nigel smirked and set his Pepsi back in the cup holder. "Will you be playing yourself then?"

"What? No!"

"You defeated the demon too, Sydney. I was there." He smiled at her. "And I'd much rather watch you fight than Sir. Gabriel."

"Really?" Her eyes rounded in surprise, for she didn't think there was anyone Nigel coveted more than the ancient Knight from his father's stories. "That's so sweet, but no. No one knows about that, remember?"

"Well, they should. I'd be happy to tell them."

"That's kind of you, Nigel." She leaned sideways to kiss his cheek. "We can't and you know it."

He sighed. Yes, he knew. There were so many fantastic things that he and Sydney had found or witnessed, discovered or been part of that could never come to light if they were to protect a specific relic or culture. Discussing Sydney's fight with the demon would lead to questions about the gauntlet and that had been hidden where no one could ever find it again.

"I was thinking we should book the time and go, if you wanted to?" Sydney returned as she offered him another bite of his sub, before taking one of her own. "It's in Salem this year, so we could drive down and camp out…"

"Correct them on all the things they're doing wrong," Nigel teased.

"That too," she giggled. "Come on. It would be fun."

He nodded. "I would like that, Syd."

They quietly finished off their subs, Sydney feeding most of Nigel's to him, and then they settled in for the long drive. Sydney had slid in a book on tape CD for them to listen to and once it was finished took up the conversation again.

"Did you put up your notice regarding your new class for the New Year?"

"Yes."

"Nervous about it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He bit his lip and shrugged. "What if no one signs up? What if the Dean made a mistake offering me the classes?"

"Don't be so negative. I bet the classes fill up with students."

Another shrug.

"Is your lesson plan what you want it to be?"

"I think so." He smirked. "And mine was finished in a couple of weeks, may I remind you, with not a Post-It in sight."

Sydney stuck her tongue out at him.

"Please don't waste that. I'll have use for it later."

She spit out the mouthful of Pepsi she had just taken. "Nigel!"

"Sydney!" He tossed her the napkin she had given him for his sandwich earlier. "So messy."

She gasped, coughed and chuckled as she wiped her mouth and then the dash board in front of her. "Jerk."

"Shopaholic."

"Bookworm."

"Bully."

"Wimp!"

"Jezabell!"

"Wanker!" she tossed, grinning.

"Oy! Let's not get personal!"

She laughed and wiped her mouth again and returned to their earlier conversation. "You'll be a fine teacher, Nigel. I was nervous when I taught my first class, too."

"Really?"

"Yes. Like you I'd been a TA for a couple of years and that got me used to being in front of the students, but boy my first day with my own class...huh. I threw up. I threw up before and after class."

"Really? But you always seem so sure and confident when you're teaching, Syd."

"Sure. Now it's old hat, but when I started I was so nervous! I was afraid they wouldn't like the way I taught, or the things I was teaching. Some of them were even older than I was, Nigel, and that was nerve racking."

Nigel nodded in understanding. He had felt that way several times when teaching Sydney's classes or filling in for her during a seminar. It felt odd teaching students, and sometimes professors that were older, and often wiser in some cases than you were. "How did you get passed it?"

"I just kept showing up and doing my best. I made a few mistakes my first year, no one is perfect, but I learned from them and so will you."

"I hope I don't make any mistakes."

"Well, you will, so don't even try to avoid it." She reached across and caressed his arm. "But, you have the benefit of my experience, so feel free to bounce an issue off me any time."

He smiled at her. "Thank you, Syd."

"No problem. Of course, I will expect sexual favors in trade."

He flushed and laughed. "We could probably work out a barter system."

She grinned and they lapsed into a comfortable silence again.

After awhile, Sydney dozed off and Nigel was left to his thoughts, of which there were plenty. He was nervous about this weekend, not because he knew that Sydney expected there to be sex, but because he really wanted their time in New York to be special.

It was sheer luck that they had returned from Sweden that morning, and avoided having to cancel. Of course Sydney had pushed and rushed them through what had to be done as if the hounds of Hell had been nipping at her heels. And he knew why she had been so eager to get through it, and that also made him smile.

But the lack of sleep and constant running around had caught up with them both and the moment they had stopped to take a breath they had slept the sleep of the dead. He would have been fine with staying home, but Sydney wouldn't hear of it, and he would not disappoint her.

He glanced sideways at her shadowed face, peaceful, calm and quiet after a hectic, manic few days. She was exquisite, even in sleep, and he still had to pinch himself to believe that she wanted to be with him.

He turned his attention back to the long dark highway ahead.

They finally arrived at the Hyatt in Albany and Nigel grabbed their bags as Sydney started into the spacious lobby

"I have to hit the ladies room," she whispered and veered left.

Nigel nodded and then stopped in front of the receptionist desk where a young, blond desk clerk beamed at him. "Reservation for Bailey, please?" he asked showing his driver's license.

She smiled at him and checked the computer. "Absolutely, Mr. Bailey!" Her hands through over the keyboard. "May I have the credit card you registered with?"

Nigel handed her his AMEX and watched her verify the information before handing him back both cards.

"We have massage services on request and room service is open until eleven. The bar is open until two and..." She offered him the keycard, but held onto it as he accepted the other end, and leaned closer than she needed to. "I get off at ten."

"Uh...that...okay. Um..." Nigel tugged on the card and she released it. "Thank you, very much. I..."

"Would you like a porter to take your bags, Sir?"

"No. I can manage..."

She beamed at him and again leaned over the counter. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Bailey? Anything at all?"

"Yes," Sydney replied as she arrived beside Nigel. "You can keep your smiles and your paws to yourself. He's mine."

Nigel dipped his head as the young girl flushed and immediately straightened.

"I...I'm so sorry I..."

Sydney smiled and waved at her. "Relax, he has that affect on women." She snagged the handle of her portable tote and slid her free arm through Nigel's. "Don't you honey bunny?"

"Oh God!" He shook his head as they walked towards the elevator. "That was totally uncal...mmmmehhh!"

Sydney pushed him against the wall of the elevator the moment the doors shut and ravaged his mouth in a deep, penetrating kiss that seared him to the core. She released him as they reached their floor and brushed her hands down his shirt. "Mine!" she warned, patted his cheek, then grabbed her bag and stepped into the hallway.

Nigel was so shattered by the kiss he barely missed being caught in the doors as he scrambled out. "B...bloody hell," he managed as they stopped at their room and with a shaking hand he slid the key card into the door slot and pushed it open, allowing Sydney to precede him.

She stepped in and her face lit up. He'd booked a small suite for them, with a king sized, four poster bed atop a raised platform, a small two person dinette next to the balcony doors, also on a raised platform, and on the main level a small sitting area with a plush high back sofa and two matching chairs which a wide stone fireplace.

"Oh Nigel."

He flushed and grinned as he set their bags by the door. "Do you like it, Syd?"

She turned and smiled at him. "It's perfect. I love it!"

She walked over and opened the balcony doors to let the cool fall air inside. She'd been in fancy hotel rooms before, some was quite spectacular, but this one was extra special because she was here with Nigel. She took a deep breath as she looked out over a beautiful park.

"What an amazing view!" She turned back to the room and noticed that Nigel was still standing by the door, next to their bags. "What's wrong?"

"You're so beautiful, Syd."

She smiled and walked over to him. "Likewise," she said and wrapped her arms around him. "Well...now that you have me here, Sir, what do you plan to do with me?"

He slid his arms around her and said in a soft, sexy voice close to her ear. "Well...first, what I'd really like to do is..." He listened to her catch her breath in anticipation. "Order some food. I'm starving!"

Sydney's lips formed a wide O as she pulled back and glared at him. "That it! You have me here for the entire weekend and the first thing you want to do is eat?"

"That sub didn't fill me up at all, Syd, and we haven't eaten properly since this yesterday morning."

She shoved him away. "You jerk! You bring me to a romantic get-a-way and order food!" She started to turn, intending to storm into the bathroom and slam the door on him, but he giggled and caught her around the waist.

"You're so feisty when you're randy, Syd."

Her eyes widened in shock, then narrowed. "You sir, are a cad."

"But I am an honest cad, and you didn't ask me what I intended to do with you _after_ we ate."

Sydney wet her lips as all manner of thoughts flooded her mind, until finally her curiosity got the better of her. "And w...what would that be?" He leaned in and whispered in her ear and her loins reacted instantly. Oh Boy! "Um...well...in that case..." She stepped back, hoping he didn't notice her excited trembling. "We can eat first."

"Excellent." He slapped his hands together and reached for the room phone and the room service menu." Anything particular you're in the mood for, Syd?" His eyes pinned her as she moved to retrieve her case and she felt the full force of his desire as if she had suffered a physical blow. "Something to give you...plenty of energy?"

It was only Sydney's sheer force of will that kept her standing still instead of tackling him to the bed and squealing like a sixteen-year-old that just got a sports car for her birthday. Again she had to wet her incredibly dry lips. "Steak."

"Ah, heavy protein, good choice." He turned away from her to dial out and place their order.

Sydney pulled her case into the spacious bathroom, stepped inside and closed the door, leaning against it. She released her case and put her hand to her heart, afraid it would burst through her chest at any moment.

"Mother of mercy!" she moaned and moved forward to grip one of the twin sinks. She had never, ever felt such an attraction, such a compelling rush of desire. Not even with Francois!

She glanced in the gilded mirror and was startled at her reflection. Her eyes were large and luminous, deep with desire and sparkling with wonder. Her lips were parted as she was having trouble breathing and her cheeks were flushed a bright, glowing pink.

My God! She looked like a woman in love, the kind she read about in her romance novels and she felt the tight knot of tears swell in her throat. She shook them away. This was not a sad time, but an extraordinary time.

"I found him, Mom," she whispered and closed her eyes in gratitude. "I found the One for me." Well, she might have to sit through dinner before they got to the night's entertainment, but she wasn't going to make it easy for him.

She finally collected herself, decided to have another quick shower and scrub herself with some scented body wash, then stepped out, dried off and brushed her teeth thoroughly. She lathered on body lotion then opened her case and pulled out the dark green, silk peignoir set she had packed for the occasion.

She had purchased it a month ago, when she realized Nigel truly wanted to wait. She wanted something new for when they did make love again, something she had never worn for any other man.

As she changed into the peignoir, she felt her excitement begin to build again and decided to leave her underwear off, for quicker access later. Feeling seductive and decadent, she adjusted 'the girls' for maximum cleavage then spritzed them and her wrists with her favorite perfume.

A little bit more her make-up to enhance her eyes and lips, a touch of strawberry flavored lip gloss, then she brushed her hair until it shone and fell soft and wavy past her shoulders.

She grinned at her reflection, pleased with the result. "You brazen hussy you!" she mocked in her best British impression and smiled wider.

Finally, she took a deep breath, opened the bathroom door, and froze in shock as she looked out upon Wonderland.

Candles lit the room from almost every surface, their glow softly encouraged by the flames now burning in the fireplace. A trail of red and pink rose petals led up the two stairs to the bedroom platform and surrounded the massive bed in a heart shape; the remainder sprinkled over the golden coverlet.

The dinette was covered in white linen and lit with two tall gold candles, a long stemmed rose stood in a delicately thin crystal vase at the center of the table bordered by two place settings, each with two crystal champagne flutes, gold plated utensils and two covered dishes. A bottle of champagne sat in an ice bucket by the middle of the table on a separate, golden rack with and a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries.

Soft music drifted from speakers hidden somewhere in the room, and Nigel stood in dark slacks, a white silk shirt open at the neck, and his socks, holding a long stemmed red rose between his fingers.

"Are you coming out?" he asked softly when Sydney remained in the doorway of the washroom.

She flushed, switched off the bathroom light and shyly crossed to him. He offered her the rose, which she accepted and immediately inhaled its fragrance. Her eyes never left his as he escorted her to the dinette, held her chair and seated her, then placed a linen napkin delicately across her lap and leaned down to whisper. "You take my breath away."

She beamed at him as he removed her dish cover to reveal her steak and vegetables before taking his place opposite her and uncovering his own dish.

"You smell heavenly, Sydney."

She flushed in delight, surprised that with all she had seen and done this man could make her so shy. "This is..." She looked around again and searched for the proper word. "Magnificent, Nigel. Thank you."

A touch of his bashfulness returned and caused his ears to turn pink, as he poured them each a glass of champagne. "I wanted it to be special, Sydney."

She reached across the table for his hand. "It is. It is...so beyond that." She smiled, sniffed her rose once more before sliding it into the vase with the other flower and picking up her champagne glass. "To a truly magical night, with the man I love."

He returned her smile and touched his glass to hers, holding her gaze. "To the future, with...the woman I love."

Tears flooded Sydney's eyes and she had to work to keep them at bay, choosing to turn them to her food and thus hide them from Nigel. She didn't want to upset him, and he hated to see her cry.

She picked up her fork and knife. "The food looks great!"

"Don't," he requested softly and she glanced at him, startled as he rose and moved to her. "You knew we wouldn't get to eat it." He gently pulled her out of the chair, watching her smile just before he captured her mouth. He pulled back for a half a second to stare at her with eyes desperate with passion and in a voice trembling with emotion said. "God, I love you so…so very much, Sydney."

Sydney whimpered and threw her arms around his neck, sealing their mouths in a hot, searing, and grateful kiss.

Nigel arms curled around her and tightened urgently as their tongues danced. Yes, this was what he wanted, what he needed. All he needed was this woman in his arms. "Syd…" He trailed kisses down her neck and shoulder. "Let me love you, Syd. Let me make love to you, now."

"Please!" she begged breathlessly as he took her hand and guided her across the room. This wouldn't be sex. This would be so much more.

They stepped up to the bed, hand in hand and unhurried. They had all night, they had a life time. Sydney released his hand and leaned across the bed pull the throw pillows off. Nigel stepped to the other side and pulled back the sheets, then removed his watch and set it on the night stand.

They met in the middle of the bed, both of them on their knees and facing each other. "You are so beautiful," he murmured as he cupped her chin and kissed her sweetly, gently. "I've never seen a woman more so."

She smiled, slyly. "Not even Mrs. Geneva?"

"Who?" He watched her smile and allowed himself the pleasure of running his hands up her bare arms. "I can't believe we're going to do this."

She smiled as she slid her hands to the buttons of his shirt. "We've done it before."

He stilled her hands, suddenly. "No. Not this we haven't." His eyes bore into hers with an intensity that left Sydney breathless, and she had to agree; they hadn't done _this_ before.

"No." She pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the floor, so she could slide her hands over her chest. "I want this, Nigel, but only if you're ready."

He smiled. "I've been ready for this since you threw that bloody spear at my head."

She mirrored his smile. "Make love to me."

"With pleasure," he agreed as he gently pulled her across the bed with him, so she was sitting on the mattress with her legs over the side and he was standing before her.

Slowly, he slid to his knees and cradled her right foot, taking the time to rub and caress it until Sydney was moaning with enjoyment. "Hmm…sensitive feet. Fascinating." As he massaged her foot he paused to kiss each of her toes. "Pink suits you."

She wiggled her painted toenails playfully and then moaned again when he went to work on her left foot. "You're r…really good at that."

"Practice does make perfect."

She grinned as she swatted him in the head, and then gasped as he ran his thumb down the arch of her foot and caused a river of sensations to shoot through her body. "R…really good."

Nigel gently lay her foot back on the floor, then moved supple hands beneath the hem of her gown and slid the fabric leisurely up her body, allowing his finger tips to caress the skin on both of her legs in slow, feather light strokes.

"Nigel!" Sydney's eyes widened at what he was doing to her. She was already panting and aching for him. How the hell did he do this to her with just a few touches? "Hurry!"

"Not a chance." He started to kiss and touch his way up her left leg, stopping just before the vulnerable apex of her thighs, then started again at the bottom of her right leg. "We are not rushing this."

She moaned in desire and need. "You're killing me."

"You're stronger than you think." His lips teased the edge of her center, smiled at the way her thighs flexed when he got to close to her pleasure zone, but his hands kept them apart.

Instead of continuing to the obvious conclusion, he pulled her gown over her head and gently pressed her back on the bed so he could trailed a path of kisses along her stomach, and over her abdomen. His fingers stroked her ribs, boarding on tickling her, but Sydney wasn't laughing, she was too aroused to laugh now.

She whimpered in pleasure and frustration when his lips lingered just below her belly button and refused to stay further. She was completely naked and he still had half his clothes on! "Nigel…Please?"

"By your command," he whispered and his mouth found her center.

Sydney threw her head back and whimpered in desperate need as Nigel teased and tormented her with a skill that could rival the greatest lover's in history. She gripped the bed covers as she reached the pinnacle and cried out in release.

"Mmmm, lovely." Nigel rose and wiped his mouth with a linen napkin he had shoved in his trouser pocket, as if he had just finished a tasty meal.

Sydney released a breathless laugh. "You were hungry!" she managed through her heaving chest and panted breaths.

"Starving," he admitted as he placed one knee on the bed between her quivering legs and caressed her breast. "Truly delectable," he muttered as he lowered his mouth to tease her nipple with his tongue, and then moved to the other breast, reveling in the way she arched against him and her fingers clawed at his arms.

Sydney drove her hand through his hair and pulled him closer to her breasts, her passion already building again. "Yes! That…that feels so…good." She felt him smile against her skin before he continued ravishing her upper body with his mouth, hands and tongue. Suddenly, she yanked on his hair, pulling his mouth up to hers in a fierce, needy kiss.

Nigel let her drag him as she started to crawl backwards on the bed, for she refused to release his mouth.

"You're wearing far too many clothes, Mr. Bailey."

"Whatever you say, Professor." Nigel reached for his belt, but Sydney pushed him onto his back and grabbed it instead belt. He grinned. "You are so pushy sometimes…"

"Damn right," she retorted as he lifted his hips so she could slide his trousers down. "Now shut up and c'mere."

He caught her suddenly and rolled, pinning her beneath him and enjoying her surprised expression. "Now then, we're going to do this my way."

She looped her arms around his neck. "Oh, well fine. Be that way."

"This has to count, Syd," he whispered as he lowered himself until their bodies were flush against each other. "This isn't sex."

She shook her head and cradled his face. "Oh Nigel." He was right, it was so much more. She pulled him to her and caressed him. "It never has been for me."

He gasped in surprise, moaned in pleasure and captured her mouth again.

They kissed and touched and loved in a way that neither of them ever had before making love, not with their bodies, but with their minds, their hearts. Nigel's touch transcended the physical and Sydney wept with joy. Her kisses implored and delved into his soul, searching for and finally finding the love she had been looking for in the taste of his lips, the stroke of his breath and the sound of his soft, startled, pleasure filled cries.

This was the lovemaking that poets wrote about, that sold millions of books, that women dreamed about, and that most believed was impossible to achieve. Their pleasure came together in slow, agonizingly blissful waves, peaked with a shocking intensity and then softened into a descending blanket of contentment.

Afterwards, as they lay entwined between the sheets, Sydney's head on Nigel's chest as he stroked and played with her hair, she made a request.

"Say it again?"

"Say what again?"

She lifted her eyes to his. "You know what."

He smiled. "I love you, Sydney."

She closed her eyes and let the words soak through her body and fill up her soul. "Again."

"I love you, Sydney."

She opened one eye. "One more time?"

"I. Love. You. Sydney." He accented each word with a kiss.

She sighed and snuggled back against him. "Just checking."

"Neurotic wench."

She giggled and caressed his bare chest as his fingers resumed playing with her hair. "Only with you."

"We never did get to our dinner," he sighed glancing over at the cold forgotten food.

She lifted her head again. "Poor baby. You must be famished."

"I'm wasting away here!"

She grinned and slid out of the bed, remaining gloriously naked as she stepped down off the platform, went to work cutting up their steaks and scraping them onto one plate, then she poured them some more champagne and with the glasses in one hand and the plate and a fork in the other she returned to the bed.

"Before you pass out." She handed him the plate and set their glasses on the nightstand before running back for the strawberries and crawling between the covers again. "Cold steak is just as good as hot."

Nigel pierced a piece of meat and popped it into his mouth. "As long as it's dead I really don't care at this point."

She grinned as he ate the cold steak with relish, stopping to feed her a piece occasionally, but she was busy nibbling on the strawberries so didn't want much of the meat.

However, Nigel was watching her eat the strawberries and very soon, he set his plate on the night stand and reached for her, his appetite for Sydney surpassing his appetite for food.


	44. Chapter 44

_**DISCLAIMER: RH Characters do not belong to me.**_

_I am really, really happy you are all enjoying this story, but I also really, really want to finish it! LOL. The next chapter I had intended to post was to be the last, but after the comments of another visit from Randall, the muses took over and last night decided I had one more chapter in me. I really hope you like it. This is another looong one, because the first part is too short to be loaded on it's own. Anyway happy reading! _

* * *

**CHAPTER 44**

Nigel entered the Ancient Studies office, clutching his laptop bag to his chest and looking as if he might pass out at any moment.

"Syd!" Karen cried as she rushed to Nigel and took his hand. "What's wrong? What happened?" She gently guided him over to her chair, as it was the closest, and sat him down.

He stared at her, his mouth working but no sound came out as Sydney rushed out of her office.

"What is it?" She looked at Nigel and hurried to him, took half a moment to approve of the dark slacks, blue-grey shirt and tailor cut jacket he wore, all part of the wardrobe they had picked up in New York a couple of weeks earlier. "Nigel? What's wrong?"

He blinked and again tried to speak, but still nothing came out.

Both women looked up as Sarah entered with a huge smile on her face.

"What happened to him?" Sydney and Karen demanded simultaneously.

Sarah walked over and offered Sydney a sheet of paper, a print out of Nigel's class expectancy ratio. "He's in shock."

Sydney looked over the sheet and her eyes widened. All six of his classes were filled to capacity, and the waiting list cited…She gaped at the number. Sixty-one students on the waiting list?

She turned handed the list to Karen and touched Nigel's shoulder. "Nigel, this is good news, baby. Great news…"

"Full up," he gasped, finally. "A…All of them. Full…waiting list…all…" He shook his head. The idea that he had so many students wanting to partake in his classes, first year classes at that, was mind blowing. Even Sydney didn't have full capacity in all of her classes!

"Nigel, this is fantastic!" Karen crowed, grinning.

"I don't think he thinks so," Sarah offered, sympathetically. "I thought he was going to faint when Mrs. Perry gave him the schedule."

Karen immediately walked over to the water cooler and retrieved a cup of water, as Sydney crouched before Nigel and took his hands. God, they were ice cold!

"Nigel, you can do this."

He shook his head. There was no way he could teach a full classroom of forty students each and every class! He never in his wildest dreams expected so many to sign up and now he was second guessing his lesson plan, his teaching skill and most of all his agreement to even do this job!

"Here, sip." Karen held the cup to Nigel's lips and he took a few dutiful sips then pulled away. "Maybe you should take him home, Syd. He's obviously in shock."

"He'll be okay." She put her hands on Nigel's shoulders. "Nigel, look at me." Slowly he met her gaze. "I believe in you."

His eyes watered, suspiciously, knowing it was the truth.

"I believe in you." Karen said put her hand atop Sydney's.

"And I believe in you." Sarah said touching Sydney's other hand. "We all do and we can't all be wrong."

Nigel lowered his eyes, blinked furiously at the display of genuine support, and managed to hide his emotional turmoil behind his usual wit. "I'm not a bloody fairy."

Sarah clapped her hands quickly. "Ohh! I believe in them too!"

He grinned before he could help himself and lifted his eyes deep with sincerity to them again. "Thank you, all of you. I….I love that you believe in me but…I…I just…" He lowered his head again, aghast at his own inability to verbalize his sheer raging panic.

Sydney straightened, pried Nigel's laptop case away from him and carefully pulled him to his feet. "Come on. Let's go for a walk around campus, it will clear your head."

Nigel numbly nodded, as Karen retrieved their jackets for them. He followed Sydney out the side doors to the court yard and around to the lunch area where many students liked to sit and study.

"What's really troubling you, Nigel?" she asked quietly.

"I never expected…that many to…to sign up, Syd."

"It's more than that. You're not completely ignorant of your own abilities, most of the time you have a need to prove yourself, so why does the number of students bother you so much?"

He shook his head and shoved his hands in his jacket pickets. "I don't know."

"That's a twelve year olds response." She nudged him with her shoulder as they walked side by side along the path. "Come on."

Nigel stared straight ahead and shrugged.

"Nigel."

"It's all too much, Syd!" he exclaimed suddenly and dropped down on one of the benches to run his hands through his hair. "My Visa, getting married, and then the pirates and…and our new…relationship. Now this….It's…" He gripped his head morosely as Sydney settled beside him and crossed her legs. "I'm waiting for the other boot to fall. I'm waiting for something to go wrong in the wake of all this….good fortune and…" He closed his eyes tightly.

Sydney rubbed his back and leaned her chin on his shoulder. "Tell me."

He lifted anguished, fearful eyes to hers. "I'm afraid it will be you," he whispered.

Sydney's heart flipped over in her chest as she leaned against him. Poor Nigel, he wasn't used to things going well, so naturally he was looking for the Trojan horse. The fact that he was more afraid of losing her than all the other recent successes just proved how very much he loved her.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I can't lose you," he insisted. "I can't, Syd. Not now. Not after…." He closed his eyes again and hung his head. "Everyone I've ever loved is gone. Please God don't let them take you too."

"No one is going to take me away from you, Nigel, not without a fight." She smirked and ran her fingers through his hair. "And you know I'm a damn good fighter. I always win."

He shook his head and moaned, as he thought about what that voodoo priest had done to her, how he had to stab the man with a cross to keep Sydney from being beaten to death. He thought about Tslarov and the mute body guard. And he recalled the pirates, God, those damn pirates.

He shook his head again. "Not always." He suddenly needed to hold her, and he straightened and pulled her into his arms. "Let's go away, Syd? Let's just go away for awhile, you and me? Please?"

"Nigel!" She was appalled that he was trembling in her arms, and the way he clung to her, as if he might never see her again. "We can't! We have school and…responsibilities."

"They'll find us. They'll find us and they'll take you away from me."

"Who baby? Who are you talking about?"

He rose suddenly, angry she wouldn't listen, that she wouldn't believe him. "God, pick someone! The Gural Nataz, the Amazons, the CIA, an ancient cult, some rival relic hunter, an ex-boyfriend, my arse of a brother…"

Sydney stood, and pulled him towards her to capture his mouth. They'd agreed to remain professional at work, but Nigel was getting worked up and she only knew of one way to quickly calm him. She felt the tension drain out of him as he shyly, tentatively responded, then his arms were around her and she was struggling to keep her senses from scattering to the four winds.

They parted, breathless and stared at each other.

"Thanks," he managed. "I…I need that."

"Likewise." She touched her forehead to his. "It will be okay. I promise. You need to enjoy this, all of this, and stop worrying about what might be."

"You mean…" He released a shaky sigh "Go with the flow?"

"Exactly."

"I can't. Not with you."

She pulled back to look at him. "Why not with me?"

"Because you're so important." He reached up and caressed the hands she had around his neck. "You mean everything to me, Syd."

"Likewise." She words meant so very much to her, and she kissed his forehead, his cheeks, his nose. "But everybody loses, everybody dies, eventually. No one can live happily ever after forever and we can't live our lives waiting for that awful day, Nigel. We can't be so afraid of loss that we forget to live our lives and be happy."

He nodded and whispered. "I know."

"Is this really why you're so upset about the classes?"

"It…it's part of it."

"And the other part?"

"I…Syd, you…They're full! All of them! I…I never expected…" He shook his head. "What if my lesson plan isn't good enough or…or motivating enough to keep them interested? What if I look like a complete idiot in front of all those kids?" He lowered his head. "What if they're all just girls that signed up because I'm…" He scowled.

"Pretty?"

He nodded, agitated.

Sydney grinned. "Nigel, there will be a few, even I have some admirers in my class, but those ones quickly learn that I'm only available to teach them and that if they're not there to learn, they don't get to stay in my class." She ran her hands up and down his back, soothingly. "This is a serious university and most that decide to come here are serious students. I've read your lesson plan and it isn't going to be a walk in the park."

"Do you think my lesson plan is too difficult? Should change it?"

"No! I think your lesson plan is exactly what it should be, diverse, innovative and yes, hard. You don't want the slackers, Nigel and you won't get any."

"But what if I do? What if they're all there just to...to look?" Or worse, to watch him fail?

"They'd have to be pretty stupid to waste an entire semester on a course they're likely to fail if they don't pay attention." She smirked and caressed his cheek. "Although, I certainly can't blame anyone for wanting to stare at you all day."

"It's just a face." He flushed, lowered his eyes.

She cradled that lovely face and raised his gaze again. "Baby, don't you get it? These kids come here to learn. They come here because they are passionate about their chosen fields and all those people signed up for one reason and one reason only, they trust you to teach them what they need to advance in their careers. They believe you will give them their money and their time's worth."

He blinked at her, stunned. "Do…do you really think so, Syd?"

She shook her head at his lack of confidence. "Oh, Nigel. I wish you could hear the way they talk about you. The things the kids say to me after you've taught one of my classes. They like me, respect me, sure. They think I'm a fun and fair teacher, but baby they _love_ you. They admire you, you're still so young, still one of them and you've accomplished so much. You are what they aspire to be."

Nigel listened in awe, for what she described was how he felt about her, how he knew most of the kids felt about her. "That's you. That's all for you, Syd…"

"No. It's for both of us. Why can't you see that?" She brushed his hair away from his face. "I never understood why you felt the need to live in my shadow. Why you always assumed that all of our successes was due to my skills and experiences, when it was both of us and has been both of us since the beginning."

Nigel wouldn't, couldn't respond.

"You never give yourself enough credit and I guess I have to blame Preston for that, for sabotaging you so much and making you feel second best, but you're not second best. I've said it before, but you never listen. I could never have done all those things without you."

"Syd, you…you were doing those things…"

"Before I met you, yes, but they were…less than the things I did with you, Nigel. Our success had tripled in finding relics, and so has the demand for Ancient Studies classes. The Dean offering you your own course proves that and it's because of both of us. Not just me."

"I…I'm not fishing for compliments, Syd, truly. I know I…I've played a part in what we've done and…and that we have helped the University enormously with our finds, but…"

"But what?"

"You say I don't listen, but nor do you. Sydney, you…" He sighed in frustration, looked down again, then up and over her shoulder, searching for the right words. Finally he bet her gaze. "There are no words worthy of describing how truly amazing you are. Everything with you is so easy, or you make it seem so. You make being chased by gunman and thrown out of planes and scaling mountains seem…common and normal, and that it itself is extraordinary."

"Nigel, the fact that you can keep up with all of that, that you allow all that craziness, all my craziness to feel normal is just as amazing. You haven't given it all up for a quiet teaching job surrounded by your lovely books, after all these years, and that proves you are just as extraordinary."

"I…I never thought of it like that."

"Then you should, because it's true." She caught his hands and squeezed. "You are going to teach those kids, because you are the best person for the job. You are going to hold their attention and motivate and mold those young minds, because they trust you to do that for them, and you will be a calm and relaxed teacher, because it will probably be the only time in our ridiculously adventurous lives when things are not abnormally chaotic."

He stared at her, his heart melting and his pride swelling with her speech. "Syd…"

She cupped his cheek. "You cast a pretty big shadow yourself, Mr. Bailey, and don't you ever forget it."

He smiled, shyly at her. "I don't believe you'd let me."

"You bet I won't. I'll remind you daily if I have to."

He shook his head and pulled her close. "You won't have to. Thank you, Sydney." He kissed the top of her head. "I don't know how you put up with me, sometimes."

"It's hard, but luckily you're really good in bed."

He laughed and squeezed her, hard.

* * *

Sydney awoke the following morning refreshed and a little sore, but in a very good way. She stretched and rolled over to snuggle into Nigel, and frowned when she found his side of the bed empty.

They'd gotten through the end of the school day, and then she invited him back to her place with the lure of Chinese Take-out, their usual end of the week meal. They both ate heartily before finally giving into their mutual need and heading to bed.

She heard the sound of her loft door opening. Was he leaving? Already? She bounded up from bed, grabbed her robe and hurried to the top of the stairs, relieved when she saw him setting her keys and a bag of groceries on the counter. He was back in his work clothes from yesterday, minus the jacket and he looked positively mouth-watering.

"Hey!" she called down and when he smiled up at her she felt her knees go weak and had to grip the railing tighter.

"Hey yourself, sleepyhead."

"I woke up and you were gone."

"I had to go get us some breakfast." He pulled out a carton of eggs and a package of bacon from the bags. "Your cupboards were almost bare again, Mrs. Hubbard."

She laughed. "I'll be right down, just want to shower first."

Nigel nodded. "I'll start breakfast then."

"You don't want to join me?"

"I had a shower, while you were snoring away this morning." He grinned up at her. "Go on then, hurry up or your eggs will be cold."

She saluted him and walked into her washroom. She twisted her hair up out of the way, secured it, then hopped into the shower and scrubbed herself clean, humming California Dreaming as she lathered on body wash.

She returned to the bedroom in just a towel and quickly made her bed, lingering over Nigel's side, and was surprised that her clock showed a few minutes to eleven. She smiled. Having Nigel to sleep beside her caused her to sleep long and sound, better than she had in years.

She entered her closet, still humming and pulled on a pair of matching black lace underwear and bra, black stretch pants and a red, long-sleeve sweater. She added just a touch of make-up before heading downstairs, where Nigel was frying the bacon and tossing Maftet's toy mouse for her whenever she returned it to him.

She walked up, wrapped her arms around him from behind and kissed his cheek. "Good morning, handsome."

Nigel grinned, pulled several strips of bacon from the pan and set them on a plate with paper towel stretched over it. "Good morning, sloth."

She bit his shoulder, then snuggled into him again. "Wasn't my fault, someone wore me out last night."

"Yes, you really must teach your cat not to move about so much on the bed."

Sydney grinned and stepped back as Maftet dropped the mouse at Nigel's feet. She picked it up and tossed it across the loft, then turned to pour herself a cup of coffee from the pot Nigel had brewed. "How did you sleep?"

"Quite well, thank you," He drained some of the grease from the frying pan, then set it back on the burner as he cracked four eggs into a bowl. "Although, I was consistently woken in the night by some brazen hussy who couldn't keep her hands to herself."

Again Sydney giggled and sipped her coffee, startled when he suddenly turned and shot her a strange look. "What?"

"I so rarely hear you do that," he commented as he poured the scrambled eggs into the pan. "It's fast becoming my favorite sound."

She grinned, set her coffee down and snaked her arms around him again. "You make me feel like I'm sixteen again."

"None of that, I want you legal or not at all." He swatted her hand with the spatula when she squeezed his bum. "Sydney! I'm cooking!"

"Mmmm, I like a man who cooks for me."

"If I didn't, all you'd eat would be bloody grapefruit and cheese cake!"

She slid her hands around to his front and caressed him, eliciting a soft moan despite his attempt to concentrate on the eggs. "Right now I'm hungry for beef cake." She slid her hands up his chest, delighted when he leaned back against her; eager for her touch.

"W….we're all out of….that…will sponge cake do?"

"Absolutely." She nibbled on his neck, having learned it was a serious erogenous zone for him.

His breath hitched as he tilted his head to give her better access to his throat. "The…um…eggs will b…burn."

"I don't care." She smiled.

"Are you trying to.. seduce me, again?"

"You better believe it!"

He hissed and moaned as her tongue ran down the side of his neck to his shoulder. "You…you're insatiable"

"Good thing I've got a hot, handsome and willing man to help me out of that predicament."

"Shut up and kiss me!" He tilted his head back and accepted her deep, slow kiss, while never letting go of the spatula in his hand.

She finally released him, wearing a slow, sexy grin. "Now that's the breakfast of champions."

"Indeed." He straightened, turned her away and swatted her behind. "Now away with you woman!"

She squealed, delighted that he felt secure enough to make such a move. "Is that something your Mrs. Robinson, taught you? To spank your women?"

"Mrs. Robinson?" He frowned as he turned back just in time to keep the eggs from crisping up. "I've never dated a Mrs. Robinson."

"It's from The Graduate. Dustin Hoffman plays a young man who is seduced by an older woman, Mrs. Robinson." She poked him. "Just like you."

"Oh, you're referring to Mrs. Geneva!" He shook his head. "No, no. She was into pleasure, not pain."

"And she seduced you?"

"No."

"What would you call it?"

"A…mutual affair between two…consenting adults."

"Adults?" Sydney lifted an eyebrow and regarded him with amusement. "Both of you?"

Nigel had the decency to blush. "I was still older than fourteen," he mumbled.

"Point taken. However, my affair was with someone my own…or at least reasonably close to my age. How old was your Mrs. Geneva? Forty? Fifty?"

He gaped at her. "Are you mad?" He shook his head and slid the eggs on to the two plates Sydney had retrieved from the cupboard. "She was a very young thirty-four, if you must know, and was a witty, charming lady who greatly missed her husband." He glared at her as he placed the bacon on the plates. "She was a Godsend to a very lonely and lost boy and I won't have you disparaging her in any way."

"I'm sorry," Sydney offered, sincerely. "That was petty of me. I won't mention it again."

"I don't mind talking about her, not really, but not if you're going to be malicious."

"Did your…" She had started to say parents, but then remembered that the Bailey's had died. "Did your brother know about Mrs. Geneva?" she asked as she brought their plates to the table.

"God no!"

"Do you ever think about trying to find her again?"

He shook his head. "Not really. We had a lovely summer together, and then she was gone." He poured himself a cup of coffee and settled at the table opposite of Sydney." I missed her very much at first, but then I was at University and I had other things to occupy my mind with."

Sydney reached across the table for his hand. "I'm glad that you had her, Nigel." She couldn't imagine how lonely it had been for him growing up. She shot him a flirty smile. "Maybe I should track her down and send her a thank you note."

"Thank you note?"  
She nodded. "For making you so…versatile in bed."

He grinned and flushed. "Ah, well…I think she'd get a chuckle out of that, actually."

Sydney laughed and bit into a strip of bacon. "Did you have any plans today?"

"I did," he nodded as he sampled his eggs. "I had planned to take the woman I kidnapped last week and currently have chained in my flat for a walk, after performing sick, perverted acts upon her."

Sydney played along. "Oh?"

"Yes, unfortunately I was accosted last night and did not make it home, so she's either died from hunger or managed to escape by now."

"Aww, and now you have no one to play with?"

"No. It's very distressing."

Sydney bit her lip to keep from grinning as scooped up a forkful of eggs. "Perhaps you need a new playmate?"

"Perhaps I do."

She set her fork down and rose. "Someone who knows how to tie a knot, perhaps, or get out of them?"

Nigel's fork paused half way to his mouth. "S…sorry?"

She walked over, slid one leg over both of his and straddled him. "Someone who would be happy to let you do sick, perverted things to her?"

Nigel visibly trembled as he gaped at her. "You….I….I…you wouldn't…Really?"

She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "I have handcuffs upstairs."

His eyes widened in both horror and arousal. "Sydney! I was joking! I would never…" Finally, he caught the wicked amusement dancing in her eyes. "You. Are. Evil!"

She grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed the tip of his nose. "Well, I have no idea what sort of practice you've had, Nigel, but I'm willing to try anything once." She lightly nipped his ear. "Twice if I like it."

He groaned, then discarded his breakfast, slid his hands beneath her legs and rose to flip her over his shoulder in one quick movement, making her squeal for the second time in one morning. "You are a naughty, naughty girl, Ms. Fox and need to learn some manners."

She laughed, thinking what a difference a few weeks made, for Nigel would never have had the guts to play with her like this before. "Are you going to punish me?" she asked breathlessly as they headed for the stairs

"I don't know that it will be punishment, but it will certainly teach you to watch your mouth!"

He darted up the stairs with surprising agility and then unceremoniously dumped her on the bed, making her laugh again. "Right then." He dove for her and gathered her to him. "Lesson one, no more talking."

Sydney moaned as he captured her mouth and immediately took control, rolling them so she was on top.

"Ow!"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just my back," he smirked. "I think I pulled something during our excursions last night."

She scowled. "I told you page twenty seven was too ambitious."

He grinned. "I didn't hear you complaining last night."

"Take off your shirt."

He sat up as she moved off his lap and winced again as he lifted the shirt over his head

"Oh Nigel!" she tsked worried.

"Still worth it," he grimaced as he rolled onto his stomach and felt Sydney straddle him again.

"It's a good thing Casanova's book is in the museum, or the hospitals would be over flowing with people in traction."

Nigel grinned, and then moaned as Sydney's fingers dug deep into his sore back. "Definitely worth it."

"Shut up and relax."

"Yes ma'am." Nigel closed his eyes and rested his head on his arms as Sydney rubbed away his pain. "I love you, Syd."

She grinned happily and leaned down to kiss him between the shoulder blades. "You'd better." She worked on the muscles around his shoulders, because those were the ones he had the most trouble with. "What do you want to do today?"

"Hmmm…" Nigel was already half asleep, her touch could put him into a coma-like state sometimes.

"Do you want to see a movie?"

"Hmmmm."

"Go to the park?"

"Hmmmm."

"Museum?"

"Hmmmm."

Sydney grinned and leaned down next to his ear to whisper her next suggestion. "Tie me up and have your way with me all day?"

"Hmmm?" His eyes opened and he turned his head to look at her. "Is that a challenge?"

She sat up and leaned heavily on his back, hitting two pressure points at once and making him gasp it pain and then pleasure. "Do you think you're up for it?"

"Not…" He hissed as she placed her elbow against his shoulder blades and pulled it slowly down his spine. His fingers curled and gripped the bedspread beneath him. "Uhhhhh….Christ!" The mixture of pleasure and pain she was instilling in him turned his insides to pudding. "Syd-ney."

Sydney smiled as her cell phone rang. She reached across to her nightstand to pick it up, then settled back on Nigel's butt. "Sydney's sex and massage parlor, half off all rub and tugs." She watched Nigel grin in amusement. "Dad!" Sydney flushed seven shades of red and felt Nigel's body shaking beneath her. "Um…h…hi, Dad. Hi, how…how are you?"

Sydney slapped Nigel's back, hard, as he started shaking with laughter and biting the duvet to muffle the sound. "Um…tomorrow? You and Jenny are in town? Thanksgiving?" Her eyes widened. How the hell had she forgotten that this weekend was Thanksgiving? "Sure we can have dinner…H…here?" She asked as if her father had lost his mind., "Uh…sure…yeah, okay…" She slid off Nigel, picked up a pillow from the top of the bed and threw it at him. "Yes, Nigel _will_ be here."

Nigel stopped laughing, clung to the pillow and sat up, his eyes wide.

"You need to talk to _us_." She stuck her tongue out at Nigel. "Absolutely we'll see you tomorrow. Okay, bye, Dad."

"No," Nigel said immediately. "I am _not_ coming."

"He wants to talk to both of us!"

"Why?"

"I don't know but he is expecting _both_ of us to be here, Nigel."

"Syd, he…he has to know we're not….I mean with my Visa being approved that we no longer…but I...we…and last night…"

"It's just dinner, Nigel." She ran a hand through her hair and slid off the bed. Holy crap! How was she going to throw together a Thanksgiving dinner by tomorrow?

"He'll know." Nigel paled as he clutched the pillow she had thrown at him. "He always knows!"

"Who cares if he knows?"

"I do! I like breathing, Sydney!"

Sydney smirked. "Why do you think he's going to hurt you? He won't care that you're sleeping with me."

"He's your father!" he exclaimed, as if that was reason enough. "A…and he can crush me with one hand!"

"Nigel!" Her eyes widened. "Dad hasn't had any say over the men I've dated since I was twelve, and he's a pussy cat, really. Besides he likes you."

"But…"

She snatched the pillow from him, then leaned in and kissed him soundly. "You're mine, Bailey. Dad can deal with it or not, but it won't change the fact that we are together now." She paused, as doubt flitted across her expression. "Aren't we?"

"Does it really matter what I think at this point?"

"Of course it does." Her gaze and touch softened as she caressed his cheek. "I love you, you silly man."

Nigel flushed with pleasure. "I think you're mad."

"I am. About you." She kissed him again, hard and urgently, then pulled back and tossed his shirt at him. "Come on, we've got to go get the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner."

"I didn't even realize it was Thanksgiving," he admitted as he pulled on the shirt and slid off the bed. "Do you even know how to cook a turkey, Syd?"

She gaped at him. "Don't you know how?"

"No!" He shook his head. "Why would I know how to cook a bloody turkey?"

"Well…you can cook eggs…."

"That's an entirely different type of bird."

"You can make sausages and steaks and…"

"I'm a single man from London, Sydney, when would I ever have the need to cook an entire turkey? I wouldn't even know where to start!"

"Well….how hard can it be?" she asked as they headed downstairs. "You put it in the oven and set it to bake, right?" She paused on the stairs and turned, causing Nigel to almost run into her. "Or do you broil a turkey?" Visions of their attempts to cook a chicken at that French cooking school came back to her in full force. "On crap! I don't know how to cook a freaking turkey!"

"Have you never done this before?" he asked as they reached the main level and pulled on their boots and coats.

"Cooked a turkey? No! I told you!"

"I mean have your father for Thanksgiving dinner," he amended as he handed her the keys and her purse.

Sydney pulled open her loft door and shook her head. "No. If he is in town we just go out to din…" She turned to stare at him. "He knows I've never cooked a turkey! Why would he even suggest…" She paled.

"What? What is it, Sydney?"

"Something must be wrong! Why would he ask to have dinner here? He said he wanted to talk to us." She started to shake as she realized the possibilities of why her father had chosen a quiet dinner at home rather than a public restaurant. "Oh, God. What if he's sick? What if…"

Nigel caught her by the shoulders. "Now stop it. I'm sure your father is fine. He's the healthiest man I've ever met."

"What if it's Jenny? What if…"

"Sydney, stop." He caressed her cheek. "I'm sure they're both fine."  
"Then why does he want to have dinner _here_?"

"I don't know, but we can't assume it's for a nefarious or distressing reason." He held her hand as they stepped out of the elevator and headed outside to her car. "Now, where shall we go to buy this bloody bird?"

She managed a grin as she slid into the driver's side and waited for him to settle beside her before saying. "I guess the supermarket."

"Right then, let's go get what we need and we'll figure the rest out as we go."

She turned the key and glanced sideways at him. "I thought you didn't want to come for dinner?" she reminded of his earlier declaration.

"I don't, but I obviously can't let you cook this…this thing alone. The loft could go up in flames! It would be horribly negligent on my part."

Sydney smiled fully and let his lovely wit relax her, as she was sure he intended it to. "You always make me feel better," she sighed as she pulled out of the lot and headed for the local supermarket. "What else do you think we should buy?"

"I've no idea. We don't have Thanksgiving in Britain."

Sydney's face fell. "Crap." She tried to think of the dinners her mother used to make, but other than turkey she couldn't recall what else was involved. "Well…potatoes, maybe?"

"And corn? Didn't the natives offer the pilgrim's corn?"

She nodded. "Yes! So, turkey, potatoes, corn…um…bread?"

"What sort of bread?"

"No clue."

They pulled into a huge lot packed with cars and drove around for another five minutes trying to find a spot.

"This is insane!" Nigel gaped as they stepped inside to see bodies everywhere. "Haven't these people ever heard of buying supplies early?"

"There are always last minute shoppers," Sydney stated as she grabbed a cart and tried to maneuver her way to the meat section. "Hell we're last minute!"

"That's different!" he insisted as he followed close behind, and narrowly missed being taken out by a woman who dove in front of him for a can of soup. "Good God! They're all mad!"

There was a line up around the turkey bin, as people sorted, tossed and dug their way through the pile looking for the perfect turkey. Finally, Sydney managed to wedge her way into the swarm and plucked a frozen turkey from the bin, only to have it knocked out of her hands, then she was shoved from both sides, her hair was pulled then she was practically tossed out of the fray. She would have ended up on her ass in the middle of the supermarket if Nigel hadn't reacted and caught her.

"They're nuts!" she gasped and ran her hand through her hair as she looked for another way through. She'd rather fight off an armed squad of mercenaries than go in there again.

"S…should I try…"

She grabbed his arm as he started forward and shook her head. Visions of some deranged woman latching on to him and rushing home to show her friends that she brought her very own Englishman to Thanksgiving dinner, made her shudder. "I'd never get you back." She looked around, desperately, unsure what to do.

"Sydney! Nigel!"

They both turned, startled to see Karen's lovely blond head pop up from across the crowd of shoppers and wave at them. The girl made her way through to stand beside them.

"Hey! What are you guys doing here?"

"I've no idea anymore." Nigel cringed as two younger, female shoppers zeroed in on him with greedy eyes and he stepped, ever so slightly, closer to Sydney.

"We need to make a Thanksgiving dinner for tomorrow," Sydney advised, gloomily.

"Oh, what did you forget to buy?"

"Everything!" Nigel stated and winced as he was jostled from behind so that a shopper could get to a rack of marinades behind him. "They're all bloody mad!"

Sydney steadied him and said. "The dinner was kind of…unexpected."

"Oh. Well, what do you need to get and I'll help." They looked at Karen, obviously so beyond their element. "Right. Okay, so, how many people are coming to dinner?"

"Three?" Nigel asked.

"Four. Don't forget Jenny."

"Okay, four, so an eight-ten pounder then, gives you a few leftovers for hot-turkey sandwiches the next day. Do you want already seasoned, self-basting or stuffed?"

Sydney and Nigel looked at each other, then back at Karen, baffled.

"Never mind," Karen laughed. "Stay here. I'll be back."

They watched the determined blond muscle her way through the mad shoppers around the bin and return a few minutes later with a Butterball turkey.

"Okay, that's done," she said setting the turkey in the cart and taking control of it. "We'll get some potatoes, yams, cranberry jelly…" She paused and looked at them. "Do you prefer sauce or jelly?" She was startled and delighted when Nigel folded his arms around her.

"I love you."

Karen felt her heart flip over in her chest, and warily peeked at Sydney, expecting to see anger, jealousy or at least discomfort. She was shocked when Sydney wrapped her arms around both of them.

"I love you too," she admitted with such deep, obvious gratitude that Karen had to laugh and the tension she had started to feel didn't stand a chance in the wake of their friendship.

Karen could see how happy her two friends were, and while she had cried herself to sleep a few nights in the beginning, she was coming to terms with it. "So, sauce or jelly?

"I've never had it," Nigel admitted.

"I'm good with either," Sydney replied, so indebted to Karen she could hardly speak. There weren't many things that she wasn't confident in her own skills to get through, but cooking had never been a strong point for her.

"Nothing too complicated, Karen," Nigel requested as the younger woman led them confidently through the throng of people to the vegetable section. "Neither of us is very good at this sort of thing."

They followed her to the vegetable section where she paused over the bin of white potatoes.  
"Well, I'd be happy to cook it for you…" She paused and remembered they might like to have their first Thanksgiving dinner alone. "Or…or get you started…"

"Don't you have your own plans for the holiday, Karen?" Sydney asked, frowning.

"My brother is eating at his girlfriend's place. I was just going to bake a chicken for myself and…"

"You can't have Thanksgiving dinner alone!" Nigel insisted appalled. They may have forgotten about the holiday and, granted, he didn't even celebrate it, but it wouldn't do for Karen to be alone. He glanced at Sydney. "Syd!"

"Absolutely not!" Sydney agreed and watched Karen flush. "You'll have dinner with us."  
"And we'll cook it," Nigel insisted holding out a clear bag for the potatoes Karen had selected. "With your guidance, of course."  
Karen was enormously pleased to be asked, she had been depressed about spending the entire weekend alone. She selected a few more potatoes, hesitant to accept not only because of how she felt about Nigel, but because she knew her friends didn't get much personal down time. "I…I don't want to intrude…"  
"You're not intruding! You're one of the things we're most thankful for!" Nigel took the potatoes from her and placed them in the bag. "Sydney, tell her."

"You will come to dinner tomorrow, Karen, because my family will be there and you are part of that family." Sydney linked her arm through Karen's and grinned. "Then we can shop till we drop on the Black Friday!" She giggled Karen's arm excitedly. "All day shopping sales!"

Nigel shot Karen a pleading look. "Please, for the love of God, Karen, say yes! Don't make her have to take me! Please!"

Karen lost the battle and threw up her hands. "Okay! Two against one, how can I possibly say no?"

They each hugged her again in response and she was really starting to like this new dynamic.

"Right, back to business." She took the bag of potatoes from Nigel, tied the end with a plastic twist and set them in the cart then poked Sydney's shoulder. "You, go to that side and get me six big yams."

"The orange ones, right?" Sydney asked as she started towards the other side of the wide vegetable display.

"Yep." Then to Nigel, Karen said. "You," She pointed towards the dairy isle. "Get me a block of butter and a carton of white eggs."

"Eggs?" he asked, wondering how that would fit in to a turkey dinner. "We…we have eggs at home."  
"We'll need more, for the pie."  
His face brightened. "Pie?" He licked his lips. "W…what sort of pie?"

She grinned. "Chocolate cream pie."

"God Bless you, Karen," he said before hurrying over to pick up the ingredients.


	45. Chapter 45

DISCLAIMER: RH not mine.

Well… Here it is, the last chapter in a frankly, emotionally exhausting story. Thank you all for taking this journey with me, for encouraging me through your reviews and for sticking with Sydney and Nigel through their journey. I hope it meets the ending you all hoped for. Cheers!

* * *

_**CHAPTER 45**_

Nigel and Karen slid back Sydney's oak dining table so she could slide the extra leaf in the middle, then pushed them tight together again.

"That should fit everyone easily," Nigel commented as he caught the end of the white linen table cloth that Sydney tossed at him and helped her cover the table.

"How's the turkey look, Karen?" Sydney asked as she smoothed out the wrinkles in the cloth and returned her two silver candle holders to the table.

"Dead I hope," Nigel smirked as he set two gold candles in the holders, and received a smack on the shoulder from Sydney.

Karen opened the oven and peaked at the turkey, it was a lovely golden brown. "Should be done in another few minutes, then we can take her out and let her rest."

"She must be so tired after cooking all day."

Sydney shot Nigel a grin and opened the package of gold cloth napkins she'd picked up at the store. "You're being very witty today."

"Nerves," he admitted as he took half of the napkins and set them out on the table.

Sydney smiled at him and pulled out her mother's plates from her china cabinet. "You told me not to worry, so why are you?"

"I'm worried for a different reason," he replied as he followed her around the table and placed a wine glass at each plate she set down.

"What reason is that?" Karen asked as she poked a fork in the boiling potatoes.

"He's afraid Dad will squash him."

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

"I never said squash!"

Karen smirked and pulled the potatoes of the stove. "Spuds are ready, who wants to mash?"

"Me!" Sydney offered and moved into the kitchen and grinned at Karen. "Something I know how to do!"

Karen laughed, drained the potatoes and set the pot on the counter for Sydney to get to work on them as she moved to help Nigel finish setting the table. "She's easily excited."

"You've no idea!" he smirked and handed her a handful of knives as he retrieved the forks and then whispered when she was close enough. "You look beautiful, by the way."

Karen flushed with pleasure as they set up the place settings, delighted now that she had chosen one of the few demure frocks she owned, a pale green floral dress with a matching waist jacket.

Nigel had chosen from his new wardrobe for the evening and looked both casual and debonair in a violet Calvin Klein crew neck shirt, a pair of black Dockers and a matching black sports coat. She was trying very hard not to flirt, or drool, or jump his bones.

"You look great too."

He smiled at her even as his eyes strayed to Sydney competently mashing the potatoes in her black skirt, flirty, blank and pumpkin colored top, which slid down over one shoulder, and black heels. A double strand of black beads hung around her neck and matched the pearl drops in her ears.

He could stare at her all day, he realized and his heart hitched a little in his chest. He was nervous, very, very nervous, and while Randall's visit was part of the reason, it wasn't all of it.

"You going to hold onto those knives until dinner?" Karen teased, noticing the way the Englishman was staring at Sydney and couldn't help wishing he might look at her that way, but it was not meant to be.

"Hmmm?" He looked at her. "Oh, no. Sorry." He quickly set them on the table and rubbed his moist hands together. Christ he was already sweating. "Um, I'm just going to step out for a minute, ladies…"

"You're coming back, right?" Sydney warned.

"Yes, of course!" He walked over and kissed her cheek. "I promise. I just need to walk off some nervous energy."

Sydney placed the top on the mashed potatoes and turned to him, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I will be if you'll let me leave for a few minutes."

"Okay," she sighed and gave him a quick hug; she could feel the tension radiating from him and frowned. "You're not really this afraid of my Dad are you?"

"No, it…it's something else." He kissed her again and stepped away. "I'll be back. I promise."

"They'll be here any minute!" Karen called.

"I won't be long. I promise." He grabbed his fall jacket and finally made it out the door. He walked across to the elevator and pressed the button, shoving his hands in his pocket as he waited.

He was appalled when the door opened and Randall and Jenny stepped out, smiling.

"Nigel!" Jenny threw herself at him, excited. "Happy Thanksgiving!"

"Umm...yes. You too, Jenny. It's lovely to see you again."

"Let him breathe, June-bug," Randall teased and gently pulled his wife away to extend his hand. "How are you, Nigel?"

"G…good, Sir. Happy Thanksgiving."

Randall tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay, son? You're looking a little pale."

Nigel nodded curtly, wishing the larger man would release his hand so he could leave. "I…I just was running out for a minute. Sydney is home, she…"

Jenny tugged on her husband's arm. "Come on, baby. Let's go say hi." She offered Nigel a kind look as she tried to pull Randall back towards Sydney's loft.

"Do you need a lift somewhere, Nigel?"

Nigel watched with dismay as the elevator door closed again, and then looked up at Randall. "No. No, it isn't important."

Randal clapped his hand on Nigel's shoulder. "Good, then let's go see my little girl."  
"Yes, sir," Nigel mumbled, and then was blissfully able to fade into the background as they entered the apartment and Sydney ran over to hug her father and Jenny and everyone greeted each other.

He managed to slip away from them and climb the stairs, where he quickly stepped out onto Sydney's balcony and took several deep breaths.

He felt something at his leg and reached down to pick up the cat, finding that stroking her calmed him. "I think I'm in way over my head, puss." In response Maftet nudged his chin with her face. "Thanks for the support."

He looked out over the street below, the trees were a mixture of fire now, golds, browns, reds and greens. He loved fall, here or in London. He loved to see the trees turn color and the birds fly south for the winter. He enjoyed, the cool, crisp autumn breeze that teased against the heat of the day, and then lingered into the evening.

He inhaled deeply again and continued to stroke the cat, who was purring ferociously now. "What do you think, puss?" he asked the feline quietly, but he already knew her preference. She missed him when he wasn't here. He never really considered that animals had genuine feelings for their owners, but this one did and she showed them regularly.

He stood there, lost in thought, until he felt a pair of familiar arms coil around him from behind.

"You okay?" Sydney asked softly.

He leaned back against her, enjoying the comfort of being allowed to do so. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." She inhaled the light scent of his cologne and took a moment to appreciate the view with him. "Dinner's ready."

"Okay." He turned and they stepped back into her bedroom, where he gently set Maftet on the bed, before pulling Sydney into his arms. "Do you have the first aid kit ready?"

She grinned. "You won't need it." She pulled back and kissed him, then pushed his hair out of his eyes. "But I promise you a long massage later if it helps?"

"It will." He nodded and released her, only mildly surprised when she held onto his hand and pulled him to the stairs. "Syd…"

"I'm not ashamed of you, Nigel, or of us. They're going to find out eventually."

"Yes. Right. Good." He took another deep breath and his hand tightened in hers before they started down the stairs where Randall and Jenny were seated at the table and Karen was lighting the candles. All the food was already on the table and Nigel felt a tightness in his chest at the unfamiliar family scene.

"There he is!" Randall grinned, raised an eyebrow as he lingered over their joined hands, then rose. "Hurry up and sit so I can carve into this delicious looking turkey."

Sydney smiled sweetly at Nigel as he held her chair out for her, then settled beside her. "It looks amazing, Karen."

"You guys helped," she assured as she settled beside Jenny, while Randall, at the head of the table, began to cut into the turkey. "And there's pie for desert so leave room!"

"Are you a leg man or a breast man, Nigel?" Randall asked as he placed two large slices of turkey meat on Sydney's and Jenny's plates.

Nigel almost turned the color of his shirt. "S…sorry?"

"Light or dark, son?" Randall asked and ignored the kick from under the table from his daughter.

"Le..bre…Either."

"He likes dark, Dad," Sydney said, glaring at her father.

Randall nodded and winked at Jenny. "Ah, I'm a leg man myself." He sliced off a leg and some additional dark meat and set it on Nigel's plate. "Karen, darlin'?"

She grinned at him. "I've always been partial to the breast," she replied breaking the tension and causing a few chuckles around the table.

Sydney slid her fingers under the table and squeezed Nigel's hand for support, before reaching for the potatoes and placing a good portion on his plate, then her own. "Did you guys have a good flight in?"

"It was a little bumpy," Jenny admitted as Sydney passed the potatoes to her. "But we got down okay."

"How long are you guys here?" Karen asked as she served herself some yams and then urged Nigel to take them, which he quickly did.

"Just until Monday." Randall finished carving the turkey onto a separate plate and then set the remains on the tray table Karen had pushed in the corner by the china cabinet. "Jenny's got to be back at work on Tuesday."

Nigel, needing something to do, rose to walk around the table and pour the wine for everyone. "Are you still with the same company, Jenny?"

She smiled up at him as he filled her glass. "Just till the end of the year," she replied.

"Oh?" Sydney asked as she finished adding beans, dressing and gravy to hers and Nigel's plates. "Do you have a better offer somewhere else?"

"No, then I'll be…" Jenny frowned when Randall put his hand on hers.

"After dinner, sweetheart."

"After dinner what?" Sydney asked and tried to ignore the sudden knot coiling in her gut.

"After dinner we'll talk," Randall replied with a smile and lifted his glass of wine as Nigel settled back in his chair. "I'd like to make a toast." He waited for everyone to lift their glass accordingly. "To family, new and old, friends, near and far, and the comforts of home."

Everyone clinked their glasses, then dug into their meal. Dinner discussion was pleasant and easy, with a few anecdotes from Randall about Sydney as a child. Sydney and Jenny talked about her work with syntax and different dialects, trying to lure Nigel into the conversation, and Karen got into a lively debate with Randall about, of all things, football.

Nigel responded when he was asked a question directly, but he didn't elaborate on anything beyond a few sentences. Mostly he sat quietly, ate his meal and tried to remain polite

Finally, Sydney couldn't stand his brooding any longer and blurted. "Nigel and I are sleeping together!"

Nigel gaped at her as silence fell over the table, and lost all color in his face as Randall slowly lowered his fork and zeroed in on him. Shit!

"Now, Dad, I know what you're going to say," Sydney began, realizing that she probably could have said that better, especially since Nigel looked like he was going to pass out. "We're both adults and…"

"Sydney," Randall said in a dangerously quiet voice. "We've heard enough from you." He pushed back his chair and rose, ignoring the hand that Jenny placed on his arm and her beseeching look. "Nigel, let's go outside."

Nigel lowered his head in defeat. This was it, he was about to be thrown from a four story building and be splattered all over the sidewalk. Reluctantly, he set his napkin on the table and stood.

"Now, wait a minute!" Sydney demanded, also standing, startled when his father raised a finger, just one finger at her.

"_This_ is not your business, Sydney."

She flushed, caught between outrage and respect for her father. "But I…"

"I'll bring him back." He patted her cheek, gently. "Most of him at least."

Sydney gawked as she watched her father and Nigel step out onto the terrace and heard the frighteningly quiet click of the terrace doors as they closed. Slowly, she slid back into her seat. "Oh my God! Oh My God!"

Jenny rose and walked over to settle in Nigel's chair, taking Sydney's hands. "He has to do this, Sydney. He's loves you."

"I'm thirty…."

"Doesn't matter how old you are, you're his only daughter." Jenny glanced towards the closed doors, where they could see her husband, but not Nigel from the angle she was seated. She turned back to Sydney. "He wasn't happy about this whole… marriage thing to begin with."

"I know but…"

"And he likes Nigel."

"I know that too, but…"

"And you're his little girl and he has to know…that you're not being taken advantage of."

Sydney stared at the bubbly blond who was two years younger and wondered how she had become so wise. When they had first learned her father intended to marry a woman that resembled Malibu Barbie Sydney flipped, but over the years she and Jenny had become quiet close, not as mother and daughter, but more friends and maybe even sisters.

"I love him, Jenny, and he loves me."

"Maybe you should have opened with that instead of the whole sex thing?" Karen muttered, annoyed that Nigel was now taking the heat for Sydney's impulsiveness.

Sydney nodded, glumly and looked towards the doors. It was taking all of her will power to not go out there. She wanted to protect Nigel, but she also greatly respected her father. "He better not ruin this," she muttered. "He better not…"

Jenny leaned forward and kissed Sydney's cheek. "He won't." She rose and smiled at Karen. "Looks like everyone is mostly finished, let's clear the table and get out that pie you mentioned?"

Karen nodded and gathered up hers and Jenny's plates. "I'll put some coffee on."

Sydney was too agitated to help, so instead she sat and chewed on her lip and waited as the sky outside turned dark. God! What were they saying to each other? What was talking so damn long? Her nail slid into her mouth and she started to chew, an old habit that she had broken herself of years ago, but one that was now finding its way back.

Finally, the terrace doors opened and her father stepped inside. Sydney rose and looked for Nigel, alarmed when he didn't follow.

"I didn't throw him over," Randall stated as he walked up and pulled her into his arms. "I thought about it, but I didn't."

"He's the One, Daddy," she said in a small voice as Karen and Jenny remained in the kitchen to give them privacy.

"I figured." Randall sighed and kissed the top of her head. "I'm not happy about how this all…happened, but…" He pulled back and traced her lower lip, pulling it out of her teeth with the gentleness only a father possessed. "He loves you, so I guess I'll just have to be happy with that."

Sydney blinked, surprised. "He…he told you that?"

"Yes."

"And…you believe him?"

"Is there any reason I shouldn't?"

She shook her head adamantly and then threw her arms around him. "Thank you for not killing him."

"The night's young." He chuckled and kissed the top of her head again. "Go on, go tend to your young man, Scootchie."

Sydney beamed at him, kissed him full on the lips, then slipped past him and headed out onto the terrace, where she found Nigel leaning on the railing and looking down to the street below. "Planning to jump?"

He glanced at her and shook her head. "Counting my blessings."

She closed the terrace door and stepped into his arms. "I'm sorry I put you on the spot like that. You were just so quiet and nervous and I just couldn't take it anymore."

"I'm sorry, Syd."

"What did he say to you?"

"It was man speak, nothing you'd understand."

"Give, Bailey!" She smacked his chest playfully then snuggled into him again.

"Um…well…he more or less asked me my intentions again. I told him what they were, he considered the alternatives, then reluctantly gave his blessing after threatening to disembowel me should I hurt you in any way shape or form."

Sydney grinned. "So, not so bad then."

He chuckled in relief. "I reckon not."

"Is that all?" She pulled back to look at him. "You were out here a long time."

"Were we? It didn't seem that long, or maybe it did." Actually it seemed like hours, possibly days, but that had been his anxiety. "Anyway, like you said, it's out now and we don't have to hide anything."

"So you can hold my hand when we go back in?"

"Uh…okay."

"And sit beside me?"

"Sure…"

"And snuggle?"

"Umm…perhaps…"

"And snog?"

"Sydney!" He pulled away, annoyed. "I am not bloody snogging with you in front of your bloody father who just threatened to bloody disembowel me!"

Sydney laughed as the tension flowed from her body and threw herself at him, capturing his mouth in an endlessly deep, passionate kiss.

"Are you guys coming in or not?" Karen asked as she opened the door and found them locked in an embrace. "We're having coffee and pie."

"Oooh, pie." Nigel grabbed Sydney's hand and pulled her inside.

"You'd rather have pie than my kisses?" Sydney whispered in his ear, pouting.

"It's _chocolate_ pie, Syd," he replied, as if that explained everything and she had to smile at his eagerness.

"You're such an ass."

He grinned and accepted a plate of pie and a fork from Jenny, who smiled sweetly at him.

"Let's have it in the living area?" She suggested, indicating Randall and Karen had already settled there. "It's cozier."

Once everyone had pie and a cup of coffee, and were seated, Randall and Jenny on the love seat, Sydney, Karen and Nigel on the sofa, Sydney asked about her father's earlier comment.

"So, now that our secret's out, what's yours, Dad?"

"Ours? What do you mean?"

"You wanted to have dinner here, at my place, when you know I don't cook much."

"Thank God for Karen!" Nigel muttered as he smiled at the blond beside him. "This pie is brilliant by the way."

Karen grinned and nudged him, playfully.

"We just thought a nice home cooked dinner would be nice," Randall replied sipping his coffee as he stretched one arm over Jenny, who immediately snuggled into him and slapped at his chest.

"Randy, stop it and tell them."

"Tell us what?" Nigel asked, intrigued.

"You tell them, baby." Randall kissed Jenny's cheek.

"Tell us what?" Sydney repeated.

"Well, I won't be going back to my company after the end of the year because…" She sat up, scooted forward on the cushion and glanced at her husband before focusing on Sydney. "I'll be on maternity leave by then."

Sydney blinked. "Huh?"

"You're having a baby!" Karen squealed and jumped up to hug Jenny, and then Randall and then Jenny again. "Oh My God! Congratulations!"

"Well done!" Nigel grinned, caught up in Karen's excitement, and then his gaze went from Jenny and Randall to their daughter, concerned that Sydney hadn't reacted yet. He noticed that both the Fox's were also staring intently at Sydney.

Jenny slowly stopped smiling and, in a surprisingly submissive move, she rose, walked over and knelt beside Sydney. "Don't be mad, please? I want this baby so much. I want you to love it as much as we do."

Sydney stared at her, dumfounded as she struggled with her emotions. A child? A baby? At her father's age? She'd have a sister, or a brother over thirty years younger than her!

"Sydney?" Nigel covered Sydney's hand with his own. She glanced at him and he saw her eyes over flowing with unshed tears. "Oh, Syd." He released her hand to rub her back in comfort as she turned back to Jenny, who's lower lip had started to tremble.

Suddenly Sydney threw her arms around Jenny's tiny neck. "I'm gonna be a sister," she whispered in amazement.

A single tear of relief slipped down Jenny's cheek as she hugged Sydney back. "The best sister in the whole world," she whispered back and her eyes drifted to Nigel. She reached for his free hand. "And brother."

He smiled at her, but never stopped rubbing Sydney's back as the two women cried and rocked and shared a life changing moment.

"All right now, what about me?" Randall demanded plucking Jenny's tiny body from the floor and plopping her, giggling, into Nigel's lap to pulled Sydney into his strong arms. "I had a little something to do with it."

Sydney clung to her father and fought for control. She'd been an only child for so long and while she hadn't been thrilled at first about Jenny, over the years she had learned that Malibu Barbie was just what her father had needed to fill the emptiness of losing his first wife. Now, she was sure that Jenny was the best thing to happen to her dad, to them both.

"I'm so happy for you," she whispered and felt her father's arms tighten around her.

"I was afraid you wouldn't be, scootchie," he admitted, his voice husky with emotion. "Jenny's been trying to convince me for years, but…" He pulled back and caressed her cheek. "I was worried it would hurt you because of your mom..."

Sydney put her hands on either side of his face and stood on tip toe to kiss him. "No. Oh, Daddy, no." She kissed him again and then hugged him again.

"Wait!" He held up his hand and moved to where he had tossed his leather coat. From the inside pocket he pulled out a handful of cigars. "We're havin' a baby!"

Karen grinned and accepted one, Nigel's eyes lit up at the expensive Cuban's, but his gaze slid to Sydney, before she nodded and he selected his.

"Come on, Scootchie, you've had them before."

Sydney groaned and ignored the look of betrayal Nigel shot her as she snatched one from the stack her father held out. "Thanks a lot, Dad!"

"You smoke cigars?" Nigel accused.

"When I absolutely have to," she retorted as Randal offered everyone, except Jenny of course, his tool to cut the ends.

"Like when she's playing poker," her father said as he lit his, then Nigel's, then Karen's and Sydney's. "Or lazing in a porch swing with her ol' dad."

"We shouldn't be smoking them in here..." Sydney protested, and was startled when Nigel slid his arm across her shoulders and pulled her against him as he took an exaggerated puff and released the sweet smelling smoke into the air.

"Shut up, Colombo, we're celebrating."

Everyone laughed, including Sydney and the evening evolved into light hearted stories of Sydney's child hood, her travels with her father and discussions about babies. At some point, the television got turned on and Randal and Karen became engrossed in the football game, while Jenny curled up in the chair petting the cat.

Sydney and Nigel had started the clean up in the kitchen, refusing everyone's offer to assist, and so were busy putting dishes in the dishwasher and leftovers in containers.

Randall was on his second cigar, as was Karen, as they yelled at the quarterback on the flat screen, when he felt something hit his cheek. He glanced at Jenny, who had tossed a throw pillow at him. She pointed to the kitchen.

He turned in that direction and through the breakfast counter window saw Nigel and Sydney slow-dancing, completely oblivious to the noise of the TV, their shouting or even the fact that there was no music playing.

He smiled sadly as he remembered Sydney's mother and all the times he had danced her around the kitchen. He was very happy that his little girl had found The One, but even after all these years, it would be hard to really let her go.

He pulled his gaze away as Jenny settled beside him and leaned against his broad shoulder. "She looks happy, doesn't she?"

Jenny saw the contentment on Sydney's face, even though her eyes were closed and smiled. "She deserves to be. They both do."

The hour grew late and everyone rose to leave. Randall offered Karen a ride back to her apartment, as it was on the way to their hotel, and they all agreed to meet for lunch the next day; if they could find somewhere that was open.

Sydney hugged and kissed her father and Jenny good bye, and gave Karen a big hug for all her help, then Nigel offered his good-byes and they watched the trio step into the elevator and head down.

"That was a great evening," Sydney sighed as they stepped back through her door, then turned and wrapped her arms around Nigel's neck when he followed. "So." She walked her fingers up his chest. "Night cap?"

"Absolutely," he replied. "But let's go to my place."

She blinked. "Your place?" That was at least fifteen minutes driving and she wanted him now! "Why not here?"

"We're always here, Syd. Let's go to my flat for a change."

"We've been drinking…"

"I only had one glass of wine, I'm good."

Her eyes widened, she hadn't noticed that. "Oh," she murmured disappointed. She didn't want to drive all the way across town to his tiny flat and tiny bed. "But…"

He kissed her. "Please, Syd?"

"Fine." She growled and grabbed her keys off the hook by the door and her purse. She'd leave the lights on because she didn't want to waste any more time. "But I expect a hell of a lot of practice when we get there."

He watched her lock her door. "I promise." He caught her elbow when she moved towards the elevator and guided her across the hall, instead.

"What are you doing?" She blinked, confused. "I…I thought we were going back to your place?"

"We are," he replied softly as he slid open her neighbor's loft door and gently nudged her inside.

Sydney felt a lump the size of a grapefruit lodge in her throat as she stared around her neighbor's loft, now littered with Nigel's sparse collection of furniture. His sofa and reading chair, next to his lamp in the living area. His small computer desk set up in the corner with his laptop on it and boxes of other things pilled beside it.

Nigel regarded Sydney intently, trying to hide his nervousness, waiting for her reaction. He could have misjudged. She might not have wanted this after all, and she was so bloody quiet!

Sydney slowly moved into the room, her gaze travelling from the kitchenette, to the curved stairway and the rooms upstairs that would be identical to her lay out, then to the fire place. Her fingers traced the mantle; she didn't have a fireplace in her loft.

She glanced upwards at the towering skylight that engulfed the main living area and kitchen and saw the stars twinkling down upon her. She'd been in this space a dozen times and never though much about it, until she considered buying it. Now…being here felt…surreal.

Finally, she turned to Nigel, who remained just inside the door, watching her. "You bought the loft?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"B…but…the old man…the…trophy wife….?"

"Serena's attempt at humor. I asked her not to tell you, but I didn't expect you to be so upset over it."

She wet her lips and had to try twice to vocalize her next question. "F…for me?"

"For us." He walked over to her finally and caressed her cheek. "It's a great space for a couple starting out."

Sydney's eyes welled with tears that he remembered her comment. She swayed and grabbed the mantel again when he reached into his pocket and dropped to one knee to produce a ring box. As he pulled open the lid, Sydney saw two stunning wedding bands, the smaller one surrounded by diamonds, and her tears started to fall. These certainly weren't the cheap ones they'd settled on before!

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Sydney. I love you, beyond reason and now…I have your father's blessing."

Sydney shook with emotion and her hand flew to her throat. Oh God! Oh God! He'd said he'd told her father his intentions! He'd asked her father and now he was asking her, for real! For real!

"Do me this honor, Sydney Fox, of becoming my wife, in every sense, in every way, for every future and beyond."

Words failed her and try as she might she just couldn't speak. She saw the anxiety growing on Nigel's face and finally dropped to her knees and threw her arms around him, almost knocking him over.

"I…is that…a yes?"

Sydney whimpered and nodded furiously as she clung to him, then captured his mouth in a frantic, grateful, desperate kiss.

Nigel responded eagerly, passionately, dropped the ring box and pulled her down to the floor, fully intending to show her plenty of practicing.


	46. Epilogue

_Sorry for the delay, here is the very last bit for this story, so I hope that you all enjoy it. I had multiple scenes written for this story still, but just wanted to finish it up with one, so I couldn't go as indepth as some of you might like. I hope you approve of my choice of ending and I Thank you for taking the journey with me._

**EPILOGUE **

Sydney kicked off her shoes in the elevator on the way up to her loft. Never again, she thought. Never again would she agree to be a bridesmaid when the bride lived half way around the freaking world! All she wanted now was a hot shower, a good meal and her husband's arms around her.

The elevator door slid open on the top floor and immediately heard music of Pink's 'Get This Party Started' and laughter coming from the loft. Nigel didn't know she was coming home today; she'd gotten an earlier flight. Was he having a party while she was away? She smirked, even as she started to pull open their loft door; that would be so very un-Nigel of him.

She stepped in and froze at the sight of her husband of four years and their TA Sarah embattled in a paint war, slapping at each other with their paint brushes, hands and whatever else could be used. Nigel was giggling hysterically, Sarah's rambunctious laughter filled the loft and they were both absolutely covered in pale blue paint from head to foot.

After recovering from her shock, Sydney dropped her bags, loudly on the floor. "What the blue blazes is going on here?"

Both people stopped in mid swing as their gazes caught sight of her. Nigel looked horrified, Sandra amused.

"Sydney!" Nigel squeaked. "You…you're home!"

"What the hell is this?"

"A paint war," Sarah replied dropping her brush back onto the paint tray on the floor, luckily covered by a large tarp.

"I can see that." Sydney snapped. "Why are you having a paint war in our loft?"

"Well, you…you see, Syd…"

"It all started with an argument on Lucretius…"

"It wasn't an argument, you were misinformed," Nigel insisted.

"I was not! His third set of poems were…"

"Hey!" Sydney raised her hands, sensing another battle was about to begin. "I don't care. I just spent twelve hours on a plane sitting next to a very odious moron who fancied himself to be George Clooney and snored viciously, so I don't care why or who or what started this mess, I want it cleaned up before I finish my shower or…or you're both grounded!"

She grabbed her travel bag, left the others by the door, turned away and headed into the joined loft to climb the stairs to their bedroom.

Nigel bit his blue lip, then grimaced at the taste. "Right. Hurry up and help me clear up."

She laughed and started to gather the paint can lids, brushes and assorted tools as Nigel ran into the kitchen for a damp cloth. "She can't really ground us, you know?"

"Perhaps not, but she can withhold privileges and I know exactly which ones she'll withhold from me, so hurry and clean!"

Sydney sighed as she walked across the platform of their bedroom, which used to be her neighbor's bedroom. While Serena's loft had been slightly smaller, her bedroom area was larger and had the roof skylight that extended over the bedroom and living area.

She peeled off her clothes and headed into the bathroom to turn on the shower. God, she was tired, and maybe just a little cranky. She tested the temperature of the water then set the spray. Okay, a lot cranky. She hadn't really been angry over the scene downstairs; she just hadn't expected to deal with such a thing when she came home.

She'd missed Nigel desperately, and had to force herself not to call and have him fly to New Zealand to be with her, but he had classes and responsibilities now. He would have come with her, of course, had offered to in fact, but she knew he would be bored out of his mind while she was off doing wedding things. Truth be told, she would have rather been doing anything but wedding things, herself.

She stepped into the shower and just stood there for a few minutes, letting the hot pulsing water beat away at her fatigue. Finally, she started to scrub herself clean and was just finished washing her hair when she heard the timid knock on the glass shower doors.

"This is a no Smurf zone!" she growled.

"Can I please come in?"

She opened the door and waited for Nigel to step inside with her. He had shed his clothes, but his hands, arms and face were still covered in blue paint. "Waz' up, Brainy?"

"Very funny," Nigel smirked as she stepped away to let him under the spray. "Why are you so cranky?"

"I'm tired," she admitted and poured body wash on her scrubby to wash his back as he took care of the paint on his face and arms. "Why are you blue?"

He turned and wrapped his arms around her. "Because I missed you."

"Likewise." Sydney sighed again and leaned into him. "But I was talking about the paint."

"Doesn't matter." He pulled back to kiss her, slowly, softly, in that special way he knew she enjoyed best. "I'm so glad you're home."

"Me too."

"Well, let's get cleaned up, so I can show you how much I missed you." He turned back into the spray to wash his hair.

She indulged herself by clinging to his back. "I'm hungry."

"So am I."

Sydney knew he wasn't talking about food and smiled against his shoulder. "I had a very long flight, Nigel."

"We can stay in bed the rest of the day, if you like."

"That won't help me sleep."

"We'll sleep." He leered at her. "Eventually."

"It was a very long cab ride…."

"Twenty minutes, tops."

"I have a headache."

"I have a cure for that."

She laughed and immediately felt better. Usually she was the dominant one, not that Nigel ever said no of course, but sometimes he tried to put her off. She suspected it was just to test his, or perhaps her, will power. It was more a game than anything, because neither could resist for very long.

"Don't you want to know about the wedding?"

He turned and slid his arms around her. "Did anyone die or get left at the altar?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck, inhaling her scent.

"Well…no…"

"Then it can wait." He captured her mouth, suddenly ravenous for her. After four years together he still was so madly in love with her he sometimes couldn't think straight when she was near. He hoped that feeling never faded.

Sydney wound her arms around his neck and moaned in appreciation; but her stomach was still winning out over her desire. When they broke for air, she said, "If you feed me I'll do what ever you want."

He paused. "Anything I want?"

"Anything."

"Even…" Excitement momentarily robbed him of his voice.

"Even that," Sydney whispered, knowing exactly what he was thinking of.

Nigel swallowed, hard, then reached back to switch off the shower. "Right. We're clean enough. I'll go fix you a sandwich."

"Nigel!" Sydney laughed as they stepped out. "I want Chinese!"

"That will take too long!" he whined as he held out a towel for her first, then grabbed one for himself.

"I'm really hungry!"

"So am I!" he growled tried to pull her in for another kiss.

"For food!" she giggled and gently pushed at his chest.

He moaned in frustration. "Pizza?" he offered as he quickly dried off, knowing there was one around the corner. "They can be here in fifteen…"

Sydney grinned as she patted the moisture from her skin with her towel then wrapped it around her wet hair, turban style. "Chinese."

"Lasagna! There's a frozen lasagna in the freezer, shouldn't take more than a few minutes to heat up."

She shook her head and reached into the bathroom cabinet for her body lotion. "Chinese." She started to lather the lotion onto her arms, and then handed the bottle to Nigel. "Or I go to bed hungry." She glanced at him over his shoulder. "And so do you."

He sighed as he poured lotion into his hands and massaged in into Sydney's back. "You're a cruel, cruel woman, Sydney."

She turned, wrapped her naked self around him and kissed him soundly. "If you feed me, I'll show you a new way to eat dumplings."

Nigel stared at her intently. "Oh?"

She nodded and pulled at his lower lip with her teeth, teased him with her tongue. "Interested?"

Nigel closed his eyes as his imagination ran away with him. "Very."

She whispered her plan in his ear, watched his body react instantly, through the towel wrapped around his waist.

"You're killing me!"

"But what a way to go!"

"I swear to God, if I wasn't a gentleman I'd…"

Sydney put her fingers to his lips and purred against his ear. "You can do that later too."

Nigel's eyes widened, he flushed and he whimpered, all at the same time. "You really did miss me!"

"All it'll take is some dim sum and kung pao chicken."

"I'll go order," he croaked and stepped out of the steaming bathroom to the sound of Sydney's laugher.

Sydney quickly dried her hair, dressed in a long silk nightgown and matching robe, then slid on her fluffy slippers and spritzed on a bit of Nigel's favorite perfume. She selected a pair of pajamas for him and his robe, then headed downstairs.

They had knocked out the walls separating her loft from Serena's, as well as erected additional walls across the hallway where the original entrance to the second loft had been. Now, when someone entered they could walk to the other loft from either side of the kitchen area. It offered a fantastic amount of natural light through the space, and opened up the area in a wonderfully modern-meets-old-world fashion.

They enclosed the area where Sydney's platform bedroom had been and made it a guest room. The area between the two upper platforms had become an office for both her and Nigel. Their kitchen remained on Sydney's side of the loft, but the breakfast bar had been moved further out to make room for a lovely cedar kitchen island in the center; which lent more towards an open concept kitchen. By the terrace was a breakfast nook, separated from what was now a formal dining room by two large terra-cotta pillars and a pale green screen wall.

The formal dining room was something that Sydney had always wanted to have and now, finally, had the room for, and held a long cherry wood table that could comfortably sit a dozen people. A matching china cabinet took up the back wall and displayed her mother's china and glasses, which she'd had in storage for years, because she had never seen the point to using it or displaying it while she was single.

Their living room was moved to the other side of the loft in what was Serena's living area and now sported new leather furniture, a big screen TV and a baby Grande piano. On the south wall, on either side of the large windows were bookshelves from the start of the living area, what had been the entrance of the second loft, all the way across to the outside wall. The shelves in the living area held blu-rays and CD's, the rest special treasures or replicas from some of their hunts, with assorted books and framed photographs mixed in.

To the far back of the loft, beneath the second floor, was an enclosed area that held Nigel's insane collection of books, many of which he had shipped up from London as he'd not had the room for them in his flat here. There, they had erected solid drywall around the room and Nigel had painted the inside walls a dark blue, with white trim; creating what he termed a true British study.

Inside the room were two very comfortable leather chairs, perfect for reading, next to a gas fireplace. A large Union Jack on a pole in the corner, and in the opposite corner a life size statue that Sydney had commissioned for Nigel on their third wedding anniversary, in the likeness and armament of Sir. Gabriel.

Sydney approached Nigel, as he stood in the living area, still in just a towel, calling in their order. He finished, tossed his cell back on the coffee table and turned to her. "I thought you might like to dress for dinner," she grinned and handed him the clothes. "But I don't mind if you come as you are."

"It's barely three in the afternoon, and you're in your bed clothes?"

"You did say we could spend the day in bed." She leaned in and kissed him again. "And I don't intend to be in them very long."

He smirked and slipped into the pajamas, at least these was plain black and didn't actually look like pajamas, more like casual wear. "Did I tell you I missed you?"

"Yes, but I like hearing it."

"And that I love you?"

"Mmmm…nope, you forgot that part."

"How neglectful of me!" He tossed his robe over the sofa, caught her in his arms and spun her around twice, then gently swayed with her across the floor; dancing to the tune of their love. "I love you." He kissed her cheeks. "I love you." Her nose. "I love you." Her mouth and felt her melt against him instantly. "God, I love you."

She sighed and snuggled as they waltzed. "I love you too." Finally, her tiredness overcame her and she pulled him to their leather sectional.

"How was the wedding?" he asked.

"The wedding was beautiful," she admitted and curled her legs up on the cushion then leaned into him as he settled beside her. "The days leading up to the big day were a nightmare."

Nigel winced on her behalf. "That bad?"

"I'd rather face down a dozen Gural Nataz than ever do it again."

He slid his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled into him. '"I'm sorry I couldn't be there, luv."

"Then we both would have suffered." She idly caressed his chest through his pajama shirt. "I'm just glad to be home."

"I'm glad you're home too." He kissed the top of her head, affectionately. "I wish you had told me you were coming home early."

"I didn't know until this morning…" She factored in the time difference. "Yesterday? Tomorrow?" She sighed. "Whatever. I just woke up and wanted to come home, so I caught the first flight out." She tilted her face to look at him. "So why were you and Sarah painting each other anyway?"

He chuckled. "We started out painting the gym," he explained. "I wanted to surprise you for when you got home. You've been talking about painting the two back walls in there forever, and Sarah offered to help."

Sydney was thrilled at the idea of a spruced up gym. "Oh, Nigel!" She leaned in and kissed him. "I can't believe you did that! Thank you! I can't wait to see it!" She rose and he quickly pulled her back down, so she fell into his lap.

"You can see after both of us are fully satisfied." He slid his hand inside her robe and caressed her breast over the soft fabric of her night-dress.

"Mmmm." She leaned into him and her breath quickened. "You sure know how to turn a girl's head, Mr. Bailey."

"And you have such a lovely head," he murmured and was just about to kiss her when their downstairs intercom buzzed. "Bloody hell!"

She gave him a quick kiss and shimmied off his lap to go let the delivery boy inside. "Patience is a virtue, Nigel."

"Bullox." He crossed his arms over his chest and called out as she disappeared to the other side of the loft. "My wallet's on the breakfast bar!"

"Okay!" Sydney hurried to press the button to released the security door downstairs, picked up Nigel's leather wallet, opened it and smiled at the picture he had of her in the very front. She found two twenties, as she wasn't sure how much food he had ordered, then moved to the door just as there was a knock.

She grabbed the large bag, paid the driver and offered a generous tip, then tucked two bottles of water under her arms and returned to the living area. "So, you were telling me about what started the paint war?"

"No, I wasn't," he denied and helped her put out the multiple food cartons and set them on their coffee table.

She smirked and settled next to him. "Okay, _before_ you started molesting me, you were telling me about the paint war."

He grinned and accepted the chopsticks she offered him. "Not much to tell, really. When we finished in the gym, we started putting things away, and then next we were arguing about bloody poetry."

"And you resorted to flinging paint?"

"She started it."

"Nigel."

"Well she did!" He actually loved that Sarah was as well read as he, they had lively debates on a regular basis regarding books and authors.

Sydney grinned and then suddenly stared into the box of shrimp she held. Her smile slowly faded.

"Syd?"

"This was always Maftet's favorite," she sighed. "I miss her, Nige. I'm so used to her being here when I get home."

He nodded and pulled her closer. "Me too."

Sydney's beloved pet had passed away in her sleep just two months before. She never knew how old the cat was, for she had just appeared on Sydney's bed one day and Sydney decided to keep her.

"We could get another, if you like?"

"Too soon," she sighed and snuggled closer to him as she pulled her legs up on the sectional and curled them close again. "Maybe one day, but not right now." They sat there, silently for awhile, until she spoke again. "So, how many apples did you get this week?"

"Fourteen."

"That's a record!" she grinned, knowing the first week of the new semester brought out all the school girl crushes. "And how many boxes of chocolates do I have to pretend not to eat?"

"Only three. I put my foot down after that and made sure that it was understood that I was their teacher and not their bloody boyfriend." He paused. "Nicely of course."

"Of course," Sydney smiled. "How was Karen's first week on the job?"

Karen had accepted a job with the university as the Head of Administration, with better pay and benefits.

"Everything went smoothly, as far as I could tell, of course Karen had a plan of attack and a brand new budget prepared before she even took over. You know how she is."

"Yeah," Sydney grinned. "It's a challenging job but she is defiantly up to the task. "And how is the new receptionist working out so far?"

"He's okay," Nigel hedged and Sydney immediately caught his hesitation.

"You don't like him?"

"No, no, he seems like a…a professional sort of chap. He just…"

"Just?"

"Well, he's a little…" Gorgeous. Athletic. God-like. "Masculine."

"He is a man, Nigel." Sydney grinned. "You'd rather he was more feminine? Maybe be more like Archie?"

"No! I mean…not that I would have a problem with a homosexual working for us, you know I have several friends who are gay, Syd."

"So what's the problem then?"

He shrugged.

"Karen interviewed him so I'm sure he's more than qualified."

"Yes, yes, it's just…well…"

"And he seemed pretty friendly."

"To you. I…I don't think he likes me, Syd."

"I'm sure your misinterpreting." Sydney smirked and poked him in the ribs. "You're just used to being fawned over by a female receptionist, that's all."

"That is…. Claudia hardly fawned over me, Sydney!" he sputtered. "She drove me bloody crazy."

"You're jealous."

"I am not."

"Yes you are! You're jealous because now I have some eye-candy to admire and goggle in tight shirts and pants the way you've always goggled Karen."

Nigel paled. "You think he's attractive?"

"Of course I do, he looks like Thor, Nigel!" She grinned. "The guy who played him, not the actual Norse depictions."

"Oh God."

"Norse God." She grinned and curled into him. "Hey, you had your fun with Karen."

"That was entirely different!"

"Why?"

"Because you and I weren't…and I would never have….we…I…." He growled, leaned forward and shoved his hands into his hair.

Sydney shook her head and curved her arms across his back as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "Hey, I thought we'd gotten past this?"

"We have," he muttered. "Mostly, I just. I'm not worried about one of your ex boyfriends trying to steal you away or…." He turned to her. "I do trust you, Syd, honestly, but…I mean; he really _does_ look like bloody Thor!" He rested his chin on his hand, petulantly. "He could turn a straight man gay in a heartbeat."

Sydney gazed at him, amused. "Oh, really?"

"Not me!" he snapped and then smirked. "I…I reckon I am a little jealous then."

"I promise to keep the flirting at a minimum, okay?"

He sat back to glare at her. "If I catch one bloody flirt between you and him I'll…I'll…."

"Spank me?"

"Yes!" He flushed. "No! Sydney!"

She laughed and threw her arms around him. "God, you're adorable."

"Yes, well…Let's just say that I am very glad you are home."

* * *

"Remember your succession reports are due on Friday," Nigel reminded his class as they started to collect their books and released a collective, good natured groan.

"But next week is Christmas break!" one of them reminded.

"Indeed it is, and as my present I expect those reports to be turned in by Friday."

"Then what's our gift?" the same youth grinned.

"A brilliant education, of course." Nigel watched as several students smiled, chuckled or rolled their eyes as they headed out to their other classes and focused on a tall red-headed boy. "Mr. Tupper, Friday, no extensions this time, understood?"

The youth had the decency to flush. "Understood, Professor," he muttered and shuffled out as a pretty, perky blonde stopped by Nigel's desk with her best friend in tow.

"That was a great class, Professor," she gushed, obviously smitten. "You make history so, like…interesting."

Nigel filled his papers into his briefcase and smiled at her. "Well, history is very interesting, Miss. Lowery."

She giggled and pulled a small box of expensive chocolates out of her purse. "I heard these were your favorite."

Nigel glanced at the box and tried not to sigh. "Actually they're my wife's favorite," he returned without malice. "I am sure she'll enjoy them, thank you."

The young woman's smile faltered for half a second, before she recovered. "You're an awesome teacher, sir, but I'm finding the hieroglyphics a little confusing. I was wondering if you could, like, help me understand them better?" She wet her lips, tossed her hair back and stepped just the tiniest bit closer as she leaned on the desk and gave him a good view of her cleavage. "Maybe we could go for, like a coffee or eggnog or something and…study?"

Nigel's gaze strayed for a half a second, he was a man after all. "As I recall you seem quite proficient in hieroglyphs, Miss. Lowery, however if you are having any trouble I would suggest having Brent Trebor assist you. He knows them exceptionally well." He tilted his head as she opened her mouth to protest and regarded her quietly. "And as you are both students, he is a far more appropriate choice."

The blond had the decency to blush. Nigel hated embarrassing her, but he'd learned his lesson in his first year of teaching. Being overly concerned about hurting their feelings he'd ended up with a hoard of enraptures students that made teaching class very uncomfortable. He'd finally had to learn to put his foot down and nip such aspirations in the bud.

"I…I just thought…" she began, biting her lip.

"I'm aware of what you thought, Samantha," he offered kindly. "You are one of my best students and it is my responsibility, as your teacher, to help provide you with the best education I can. To listen and support you and assist you academically in whatever manner I am able. Such a relationship can be very rewarding, as long as certain lines are not crossed."

"It's only coffee and chocolates," she muttered and lowered her head ashamed at the knowing look he sent her.

"Both of which are inappropriate." He snapped his briefcase shut. "Now, if you prefer not to utilize Trent and truly wish to go over hieroglyphics, I will be in my office today from three until four-thirty and will be more than happy to assist you." He picked the chocolates up and offered them to her, pointedly. "However, if you continue on this path…Well, I would hate to request your transfer to another class."

Miss. Lowery gaped at him, and then slowly straightened. "I…I never…I just…" She flushed, knowing she had been dong exactly as he accused her of. "I'm sorry, professor. Keep them, please, as an apology…"

"I don't need an apology, I need you to understand."

She bit her lip and bowed her head, wrapping her arms around her books. "For Christmas then. I…I really want you to have them."

"Very well, for Christmas. Thank you."

She turned and shuffled towards the door, her friend following.

"Samantha?"

She turned back and Nigel offered her a warm smile. "We're still friends, okay?"

She smiled shyly, nodded and hurried out.

He sighed, turned to erase the large white-board, and was about halfway through when someone poked him in both his ribs, startling him. He spun around and a wide grin broke across his face as he threw his arms around the young woman behind him.

"Tia! You're back! How was your holiday? You look fantastic!"

She smiled, hugged him, kissed his cheek and pulled back. It had taken a long time, but the trial of the man who had abducted her on a trip her family had surprised her with when she graduated medical school had finally come to an end.

After four years being held captive by Eduardo Mikhail Sanjay, and forced to patch up his men as well as others he kidnapped and sold, another full year in protective custody with Interpol and then almost two more to get him tried and convicted once he was captured, Tia was finally free of the shadow of her past.

As soon as the judgment was finalized Nigel and Sydney arranged for Tia to take a trip to Spain, where her family, who had believed her dead for almost a decade lived. She had been unable to contact them before Eduardo Mikhail Sanjay had been convicted for, she had been worried that somehow the pirate would find a way to hurt her family.

"It was wonderful. I am so very glad you convinced me to go." Tears flood her eyes. "They were happy, Nigel. Shocked, but so happy to see me. They thought I was dead."

Nigel held her. "I'm sure the missed you, luv."

She nodded. "They didn't want me to return. My mama, she was there, papa had passed away…"

"I'm so sorry, Tia."

She shook her head. "No, he was not always in the best health, even before…before I was taken." She smiled again. "It was wonderful to see them all again, but I told them that my life was here now, with you and Sydney."

"Well, working with us is not always easy, but we're very glad your back."

"Me too." She caught his wrist and pulled up the cuff of his sports coat. "How is that bite healing?"

"Fine, itches now and again, but it's starting to fade."

"Damn dog," Tia muttered as she turned his arm to inspect the small half-moon scar just above his left wrist. "Are you putting the salve on it?"

He nodded. "Every night and I've finished the antibiotics you gave me."

"Good." She nodded, satisfied. "Next time try keeping your hand out of the animal's mouth, yes?"

"It was my arm or my throat, Tia," he reminded as he turned, finished erasing the board, then set the eraser down and picked up his briefcase. "And the bloody thing came out of no-where."

"If you would listen to me and not go into places you shouldn't…"

"It's all part of the fantastic business of Relic Hunting." Nigel tossed an arm over her shoulders as they walked out of the classroom. "And now that you are back, you have to come to dinner."

"I do not want to impose…" She began as they walked the familiar halls of the university; a university that had offered her a new kind of family.

Sydney had gotten Tia work at the free clinic down town, with the condition that she was allowed to leave whenever Sydney and Nigel had a hunt; she was their field medic after all and the university paid her for her participation. The administrator of the free clinic was desperate for someone with Tia's skills, so such a request had not been an issue.

Nigel had also arranged for Tia to apprentice three nights a week in triage, under the watchful gaze of a surgeon who had patched him up after he'd been shot by a Gural Nataz agent that had attacked he and Sydney at Trinity several years ago. The two men became and remained friends through their interest in classical music and chess, and the doctor was now the head of surgery at the hospital.

"Tia!" Sydney ran to her as they entered and threw her arms around the younger woman. "How was your trip? You look sensational!"

Tia laughed, for Nigel had said almost the exact same thing. "It was wonderful. I will tell you all about it at the dinner that Nigel insists I am coming to."

"Absolutely, but we're taking you to dinner." She grinned at Nigel who rolled his eyes. "We only cook when it is absolutely necessary."

Tia grinned and walked around the new office, which had been moved to the third floor, and now held two interior offices, a wide, carpeted reception area and walls the color of Texas clay. "It looks marvelous in here! So much more room!"

"We like it," Nigel smirked as he offered his briefcase to Sarah, who brought it into his office. "It's far bigger and brighter than the one we had downstairs."

"I didn't think it would be finished yet," Tia admitted as she paused at the doorway of Sydney's office. Her name was in gold letters, Professor Sydney Fox and inside was a very elegant, but lived in office, with her previous desk, two new leather chairs and a great view of the courtyard. On her desk was her world globe and beside it a framed picture that Tia knew was of Nigel.

"They just finished last week and we couldn't wait to get moved in," Sydney admitted as she leaned against Troy's desk and crossed her ankles. "Nigel especially."

"I was getting claustrophobic in that bloody closet," he retorted

Tia smiled and moved to his office, directly across from Sydney's. It was decorated in the same similar lines, although his desk, chair and shelving units were far more modern than Sydney's; giving more distinction to his own style.

A large painting of the Thames hung on the wall behind his desk and his miniature Union Jack stood in his cup holder. A framed photo of he and Sydney on their wedding day, the second wedding they'd had the summer after their first marriage.

"It all looks fantastic."

"Oh, and look what we have over here," Nigel insisted as he walked to the wall and pressed his hand against the wall. Seconds later a large panel slid open revealing a small medical clinic.

"Oh!" Tia hurried over and stepped inside. It wasn't much larger than a walk in closet, but it had a vent in the ceiling to circulate cool air, a large glass cabinet of medications as you stepped in, and to either side, floor to ceiling shelves of medicinal supplies. "I How did you get approval for this?"

"Karen did it, actually," Nigel grinned and crossed his arms over his chest as Tia immediately started to take stock of what was available. "Sydney thought it would be a good idea to have a hidden room for it, so no one would know we keep drugs on hand and want to try and break in here. Just as a security precaution."

"That is a good thing." She smiled as Sarah handed her an IPAD. "What's this?"

"Your inventory," Sarah explained. "It's programmed to automatically alert you when you are low on a particular medicine or supply." She indicated the small scanner by the door. "Anything you take out of the room or put back in needs to be scanned, that uploads to the IPAD to keep it updated."

"How wonderful!"

"Don't forget this." Sydney walked over and handed Tia an olive green medical pack. "Has fifty pouches for medicines and medical equipment." She smirked. "Should even be enough to keep up, even with our adventures."

"This is fantastic!" Tia immediately opened the pack and started to examine it as the office telephone rang.

"Call for you on line one, Sydney," Troy advised from his desk and handed her the phone as she walked over.

"This is Sydney." Her eyebrows rose and she glanced at Nigel. "A lead on John Brown's Diary?"

Nigel glanced at Sarah, who nodded and headed for her smaller desk, in the corner of the room and off to the side from Troy's desk. "I'll get your classes covered," she said as she picked up her desk phone.

"Good." He turned to Tia. "Up for another trip, Doc?"

She grinned and slapped her hands together. "My bag is still packed at home." She handed him her keys and immediately started pulling things out of the cabinet to place in her new pouch. "But I'll need to refresh our supplies."

"Don't forget to scan them out." Nigel reminded as Sarah finished her call and immediately caught the keys he tossed her. "Grab Tia's bags, from her flat would you please?"

"Back in a few," Sarah assured and hurried out.

Sydney finished off her call and hung up.

"So, where are we going?"

"Wales."

"Three tickets to England," Troy nodded and turned to his computer. "Coming up."

Sydney grinned at how smoothly her team ran and pushed off from the reception desk. "Let's get our things," she told Nigel and headed into her office where they both kept a bag packed for such occasions. "This could be the find of the century."

Nigel stepped in behind her and caught her around the waist to kiss her neck. "I think _you_ are the find of the century, Professor."

"Likewise, Teach," she giggled, kissed him and reached for her bag.


End file.
